


Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated

by yeoliverse



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Baekhyun is clingy, Chinguline, Fluff, Kyungsoo has a Crush™, M/M, neighbours!au, side!sulay, talented chanyeol is talented
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 05:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12227019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeoliverse/pseuds/yeoliverse
Summary: When Kyungsoo’s new neighbour moves in next door, he doesn’t expect someone quite as tall, lanky and bright as Park Chanyeol, a man who seems to be so good ateverythingthat Kyungsoo can barely keep up.Alternatively titled: apartment neighbours!chansoo au





	Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** #25  
>   
>  Prompter, I hope I did this justice! Thank you for letting me write about just how talented Park Chanyeol is for a whole 20k <3

Do Kyungsoo has a well-known affinity for the peace and quiet.

In fact, packing up his things and moving from the crowded, noisy city to his uncle’s farm a few hours away deep into the peaceful countryside often crosses his mind when it all gets a bit too much. He appreciates the time he has to himself, whether it be at home, or at the office. He likes the fact he can come home to an empty apartment in the evenings, not having to worry about talking to someone about his day, or clean up after more than one person. He likes that he can focus on meeting his deadlines without the distraction of others around him.

He’s a proud introvert and won’t have a bad word said against it.

Kyungsoo had, however, absolutely _adored_ his chatty old neighbour. Mrs. Choi was an overly friendly eighty-three year old small-statured woman with wild grey hair and stories for days. She had always invited Kyungsoo in for a drink whenever she saw him in the hallway and the few times a month where he could spare a few hours, he would be blessed with fresh tea, delicious homemade pastries, and non-stop attention from her tiny tortoiseshell cat.

When she broke the news to Kyungsoo that she was moving in with her daughter across town, Kyungsoo had been genuinely upset that he’d be losing his favourite, outgoing neighbour next door. He had liked her so much in fact that he had offered to help her move her things into her daughter’s car and in return, she had given him an old cookbook of hers and asked him to promise to make more time for himself and get back into his favourite pastime. He’d accepted the book graciously and it sat on his bookshelf with the others for a while, but the broken promise would often linger in his thoughts so he’d placed it in the top cupboard of his kitchen out of sight for safekeeping where it still currently remains.  


With Mrs. Choi gone, even though there are many other apartments on his floor, he feels a little empty. He misses her cooking, her stories, and even her overly affectionate cat.

  


* * *

  


He runs into his new neighbour on a Saturday.

Actually, to be more precise, his new neighbour’s _friend_ runs into _him_ on a Saturday.

Quite literally.

“Shit, fuck. Oh shit,” a squeaky voice erupts from below him. The man’s face is etched with panic as he looks over to see the plant pot he’s dropped and subsequently smashed all over the hallway. His faded, cotton candy pink hair is a mess atop his head and he looks up at Kyungsoo, squeaking again once he’s realised the extent of the mess he’s made.

“Uh, Chanyeol!” he shouts, eyes not leaving Kyungsoo’s. “I broke your plant! And, uh, I think also your neighbour!”

The aforementioned “Chanyeol” appears in the doorway of apartment 610 and immediately groans out loud. He shakes his head at the abomination that is his friend lying on the floor, not yet having made an effort to get up. He’s wearing an oversized crumpled sweatshirt that makes him look smaller than he actually is, and navy blue ripped jeans that quite frankly look like they’ve seen better days.

Kyungsoo wonders what on Earth he’ll be sharing a wall with.

He had only wanted to leave his apartment to get groceries. His downright dismal looking fridge was almost crying out to be stocked and now Kyungsoo is paying for it. There’s soil all over his shoes and he sort of wants to go back to bed and sleep for the rest of the weekend.

“Baekhyun, you moron,” Chanyeol says, ignoring the hand a very pouty Baekhyun is holding out to him, expression hopeful as though it will convince Chanyeol to help him up. “My sister bought me that as a moving in present. Now, she’s going to think I broke it on purpose like the last gift she gave me.”

Baekhyun snorts. “That lamp was so ugly, Chanyeol. Come on, if you hadn’t have broken it, I would have.”

The other looks so _offended_ for a split second that it almost makes Kyungsoo crack a smile. His new neighbour gasps, grabs his chest dramatically and takes a step backwards. “That’s blasphemy, Byun Baekhyun. I’m telling Yoora you said that.”

The panic is back in Baekhyun’s eyes as he scrambles to his feet, the smashed plant pot fully forgotten as he runs after a giggling Chanyeol, back into the apartment. Kyungsoo, still standing still in the hallway, looks over at the disarray of soil and pottery all over the floor and sighs.

With groceries and his sad, lonely fridge shoved to the back of his mind, Kyungsoo grabs his dustpan and brush from under the kitchen sink in his apartment and begins to sweep up the clutter, careful not to slice his finger on any of the broken pottery shards. This really isn’t how he’d planned to spend his Saturday but he doubts very much that the squeaky, cotton candy haired man will be back out any time soon to clean this mess up.

A few minutes later, there’s a scuffle of shoes on the hardwood flooring that stops just short of Kyungsoo. He meticulously finishes dusting the soil into the pan, and gets up, brushing any leftover grime from his knees.

His new neighbour stands opposite him, eyeing the dustpan in Kyungsoo’s hand and shakes his head. “You didn’t have to do that, you know. I would have made Baekhyun do it. It’s only fair.” His voice is deep, melodic and suits him well. Kyungsoo almost wants to ask him to speak more so he can savour the sound for just a moment longer.

He rubs his forehead with the back of his hand and shrugs. “It’s fine. From what I’ve seen I feel like he wouldn’t have been much use anyway.”

His neighbour throws his head back to laugh, and brings his tatty sleeve up to cover his mouth as if to quell his own body from being quite so loud. Kyungsoo finds himself smiling at him. He really is _so_ tall and Kyungsoo has to look up considerably to meet his eyes.

Park Chanyeol, he introduces himself as, a name that sounds warm, sweet and bright. From what he’s seen already, Kyungsoo thinks it fits him perfectly.

He absolutely _hates_ helping people move with a burning passion. He’ll never forget the incident of ‘14, when Junmyeon had asked him to help him move into his new house, and Kyungsoo had sprained his ankle and was required to walk on crutches for two weeks. Yet, Kyungsoo cannot seem to say no when Chanyeol asks him to help him haul the last few boxes in from his Jeep into his new apartment. His back hurts and his arms ache because _what the hell is in these boxes anyway_. It takes all of his might not to just drop the hefty box he’s holding onto the elevator floor and collapse on top of it.

“Thank you for helping me, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol says once they’ve reached his apartment, placing the last of the boxes labelled **NOTEBOOKS** just inside the door. “Baekhyun is being a big baby and pretending he’s busted his ankle, so now he’s just playing on my Nintendo in the bedroom. Not that he would have been any help whatsoever.”

“Uh, I heard that!” Baekhyun chimes from behind one of the closed doors. Chanyeol rolls his eyes, mumbles something unintelligible under his breath and turns back to Kyungsoo with a newly painted smile on his face.

“Coffee? I have some in one of these boxes somewhere unless Baekhyun dropped that in the hallway too.” He reaches up to run a hand through his dark brown hair and looks around the apartment at the misconstrued boxes on the floor, then exhales. “I’m not entirely sure where, though. Maybe water will have to suffice until I’ve properly unpacked.”

Chanyeol turns back to look directly at him, eyes full of anticipation and something else Kyungsoo can’t quite figure out. He’s only known the guy thirty minutes, but can kind of already guess that Chanyeol is probably the type of person who makes friends very easily. He’s finding it increasingly difficult to deny Chanyeol in fear of seeing his new neighbour’s expression fall, despite his desperate need to get his damn groceries.

“Water would be great, thanks,” he says.

He’s not even thirsty.

The other grins in return and almost runs to the kitchen, opening one of the moving boxes labelled **CUPS – DO NOT BREAK BYUN BAEKHYUN** to retrieve two clear glasses, and fills them up at the sink.

“Is Baekhyun living with you?” Kyungsoo asks hesitantly, hoping the answer is a resounding _no_. From what he’s seen, Baekhyun is a total liability and Kyungsoo really doesn’t need holes in their shared wall.

Chanyeol shakes his head and huffs out a breath in, what Kyungsoo can only assume is, relief.

“No. _God_ no. I pawned him off to Jongdae a couple years back. I spent four years with him in college and I’m pretty sure every single piece of furniture we had, he broke. He’s worse than me, I swear. Just last month he got _so mad_ that I won against him in Overwatch – you know that game right?”

Kyungsoo nods, not that he’s ever played it. Yixing from his office often speaks of the game, and tries to get Kyungsoo to join in but he always politely declines.

“Well, he pushed me into this really ugly lamp my older sister bought me and it shattered into a million pieces. She didn’t speak to me for two whole weeks, Kyungsoo. I had to take her to this expensive Italian restaurant she had been wanting to try for ages as a grovelling apology and it cost me a fortune. I’m convinced she ordered more breadsticks and put them in her purse. They weren’t even free breadsticks. I had to _pay for the breadsticks_ , Kyungsoo. She’s 5’5” of pure evil.”

He holds out his arm as if to demonstrate her height and the water in his other hand trembles slightly, spilling droplets onto the linoleum. Kyungsoo contemplates that maybe Chanyeol and Baekhyun have more in common than he initially thought.

He says thank you for the drink even though he hasn’t quite finished the glass, and takes it to the sink to quickly wash it under the faucet.  


“You’ve been a big help today Kyungsoo. I’ll make it up to you, I promise!” Chanyeol exclaims, showing Kyungsoo the door and opening it for him like a gentleman.

Kyungsoo mumbles a goodbye and walks back to his own apartment. He’s not entirely sure what’s just happened in the past hour aside from having his ear talked off by his new neighbour, and acknowledging that he _still hasn’t gone to the store to buy his groceries_. However, he feels content nonetheless.

Maybe Chanyeol won’t be like the loud, obnoxious neighbours he fears.

 _Maybe_ his new neighbour won’t be so bad, after all.

  


* * *

  


Kyungsoo wakes up to a non-descript melody playing through his wall, louder than it should be this early in the morning. A wrong note suddenly rings through Kyungsoo’s ears and he groans, turns over in his bed and shoves his head under the pillow in an attempt to try and block out the sound. Everything positive he ever thought about his new smiley neighbour disappears and he’s left with groggy morning rage from being woken up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday.

The sun, shining through his blinds and blatantly _mocking him_ , stubbornly refuses to leave him alone and let him fall back asleep. He reluctantly drags himself out of the sheets and to his kitchen, making himself a cup of strong, black coffee and leaning against the counter top to relax and take his first (well-needed) sip of the day.

He figures he may as well attempt to do some work now that he’s up and has no plans, so he grabs the manuscript from the side he’s been given to proofread, a sci-fi novel from an upcoming and independent author. He’s read and edited the same kind of storyline before but it sells and Junmyeon likes money. And if Junmyeon gets money, Kyungsoo keeps his job. And he likes his job. With that in mind, he settles down onto his sofa, picks up his thick rimmed glasses from the table and slides them up his nose.

He tries to concentrate. 

He really does. 

The music quietens for about ten minutes or so and Kyungsoo thinks he will _finally_ be able to get some actual editing done. He’s already read the same line over and over again due to consistently being distracted by whatever is happening next door and it’s getting rather tiring. Soon enough the soft, dulcet tones start back up again. The same tune, different wrong notes. Rinse and repeat.

He’s knocking on the door of apartment 610 before he’s really stopped to think about what he’s doing exactly, a trait he seems to have gained over the past 24 hours. The welcome mat, which reads _Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated_ feels rough against his toes as he’s not wearing any shoes. He shivers at the texture and almost turns on his heels to walk back home.

A yawning Chanyeol opens the door, clad in a worn rock band tee and grey sweatpants that are slightly too short for him in the leg. “Kyungsoo!” He beams, way too bright for it being so early in the morning. “What brings you knocking on my door? Doing the whole cliché neighbour act and come to borrow a cup of sugar? I didn’t peg you for a sugar in your coffee type.” Chanyeol shifts on his feet and leans against the doorframe, arms folded, light in his eyes.

Kyungsoo almost feels bad. 

Chanyeol is all smiley, upbeat and welcome and it’s too much for Kyungsoo. He’s never been much of a morning person and well ... Chanyeol clearly _is_. He raises a hand to scratch at his ear, a nervous tick to calm himself before he looks up at Chanyeol who is waiting for him to respond.

“It’s just… well, the music… it’s nice and you’re good and all but… this early in the morning Chanyeol, I-”

Chanyeol’s face drops instantly and Kyungsoo desperately wants the bristly welcome mat under his feet to eat his body whole so he doesn’t have to feel the wrench inside his gut for feeling like a dick.

“I’m so sorry Kyungsoo! I didn’t mean to wake you or be so loud, I’m practicing on my keyboard for the kids tomorrow and I’ve got to make a good first impression, you know?”

No, Kyungsoo doesn’t know. He barely knows the person standing in front of him and really has no idea what Chanyeol is talking about. He nods anyway, not wanting to hurt Chanyeol’s feelings any more than he potentially already has.

“I’ll keep it down, I promise. Do you want to come in for some breakfast? I haven’t really unpacked yet, but I’ve got a fridge full of food now so I’m sure I can cook you something.”

He’s just… so _friendly_ , and it’s so _early_ and God, Kyungsoo is so tired. “Sorry,” he mutters, not looking directly at his neighbour. “I’m not really much of a breakfast person. Or a morning person actually. I think I’m gonna head back to bed for a bit.”

It’s technically a lie. He’s going to lounge on his sofa until the coffee wakes him up properly, then he’ll officially start his day. He doesn’t think he can handle this much friendliness this early in the morning. Chanyeol nods, apologises once more, and they say their goodbyes.

The music doesn’t start back up again.

Kyungsoo feels the coffee kick in the same time as his guilt.

  


* * *

  


Oh Sehun, a fresh-faced graduate-turned-Kyungsoo’s personal pain in the ass has been a part of _Kim & Co Publishing_ for two years now. He’s a good kid, really, and Kyungsoo will never admit this to his face but the office wouldn’t quite be the same without him to make things that much more interesting.

Regardless, that still does not give him free reign to waltz into Kyungsoo’s office like he owns the place first thing on a Monday morning. Kyungsoo looks up from his laptop and audibly sighs, a little _too_ dramatically in the hope that Sehun gets the hint.

He does not.

“A baby bird told me-”

“So, Junmyeon. You mean Junmyeon told you.”

Sehun pretends to ignore him, and proceeds to sit down in the vacant chair opposite. “A _baby bird_ told me you have a new next door neighbour. Why don’t you tell me these things, Kyungsoo? Am I not your favourite person anymore? You will forever be mine, you know.”

Sehun is pouting dramatically, his chin resting on his hands as he leans on the desk. Kyungsoo has half a mind to knock the other’s elbows so he falls flat against the wood. He thinks better of it.

“Don’t let Junmyeon hear you say that,” Kyungsoo retorts, grinning.

Sehun glares at him. “Don’t turn this around on me, Do Kyungsoo, you snake. It would be nice for you to make friends. I think you spend more time here than Junmyeon does and that actually says something. I think the sofa in his office pulls out into a bed.”

Kyungsoo exhales, defeated, and closes his laptop. “He’s just the new guy next door, Sehun. There’s nothing to report. He likes to play musical instruments at dawn. He has an annoying friend. I can relate to that part.”

Sehun laughs and sits back in his chair, quirking an eyebrow. “Sounding a _little bitter_ there, Kyungsoo. Living up to that nickname back in school, I see.”

Kyungsoo stills in his seat. “Did Junmyeon tell you that? It’s wrong.”

“ _Little bitter_ is a cute nickname, Kyungsoo. Junmyeon told me you refused to wear your glasses and squinted scarily at people. He told me he was the only one that took pity on you.”

“I will kill you, Oh Sehun.”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” sounds an amused voice from Kyungsoo’s doorway. 

Kim Junmyeon, Kyungsoo’s boss and long-time (now traitorous) best friend walks in without knocking – a common occurrence – and stops in front of his desk, dropping a heavy, thick, and bounded manuscript onto it. Out of the corner of Kyungsoo’s eye, he can see Sehun wince at the dull _thud_ the stack of paper makes.

“I’d rather you knock first,” Kyungsoo murmurs, leaning forward over his laptop to retrieve the document, narrowing his eyes at his boss for good measure.

Junmyeon simply snickers. “Who started this company? My building, my rules.” He looks over at Sehun. “Is this your office? More working, less chatting. There’s editing to do.”

Sehun groans and lifts himself up off his seat, twisting back to roll his eyes at Kyungsoo. “Actually, kill me. Please. I want you to.” He exits the room just as theatrically as he walked in.

“He has a point, you know,” Junmyeon states once Sehun is out of earshot for which Kyungsoo is thankful. “You do spend more time here than I do.”

“I don’t need you to dictate where and who I spend my free time with, Junmyeon,” Kyungsoo replies, a lilt in his voice to show he doesn’t really mean the harshness he’s trying to convey. 

Junmyeon shoots Kyungsoo a quick smile. “Get that revised or I’m putting Sehun on your admin duty for a week.”

“Hang on, I thought you said you didn’t want him killed?”

  


* * *

  


Kyungsoo wants to sleep. 

With heavy eyelids, and movements sluggish from exhaustion he unlocks his apartment door, ready to collapse straight onto his bed and call it a night. He can almost _hear_ his bed calling out to him.

“Ah, Kyungsoo!”

A rather sprightly Chanyeol appears from around the hallway corner, carrying two grocery shopping bags in one of his large hands and a six-pack of beer in the other. His deep, loud voice reverberates through Kyungsoo’s bones and he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. He’s _so_ close to his bed. Yet, suddenly it’s _so_ far away.

“Are you okay, Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol asks once he’s near enough to notice his neighbour’s tiredness. Any normal person would understand Kyungsoo’s silence and leave him alone, but no, seemingly not Chanyeol. Instead he frowns, and leans closer. “You look tired, long day at work? It was my first day at work, the kids were all super friendly though as you would expect from young children, I guess, but ...”

Kyungsoo tunes out Chanyeol’s talking. Too tired to even try and attempt to properly listen, he instead focuses on the crinkles at the corners of Chanyeol’s eyes so he at least looks like he’s paying attention.

The soft lines are pretty cute, he sort of wants to reach up and smooth them over with the pad of his thumb.

“Kyungsoo? Earth to Kyungsoo! Are you with me? You really must be tired. Have you eaten?”

Kyungsoo nods, lying.

Chanyeol doesn’t look convinced in the slightest.

“Just make sure you eat, okay? Knock if you need anything,” Chanyeol says, an air of concern about his voice. Kyungsoo watches the taller man enter his apartment and shut the door before he walks into his own.

About an hour later, he is all but ready to finally sleep when there’s a knock at the door. Curious, and frankly a little annoyed as to who would come calling at this hour, he opens it to find a relatively nervous looking Chanyeol holding a rather large pizza box and two bottles of beer.

Chanyeol opens up the pizza box, displaying its contents to Kyungsoo before he can even open his mouth. “Hi,” he begins, all but shoving the pizza box under Kyungsoo’s nose. “So, I ordered pizza right, and the pizza guy brought an extra one. Far be it from me to tell them they got the order wrong, and I figured you hadn’t eaten so ... want to share this with me?”

Kyungsoo is so tired, but the smell of pepperoni pizza makes him realise just how hungry he is. His stomach rumbles, making it even harder to resist the food and he finds himself saying yes and inviting a rather happy looking Chanyeol into his apartment.

A little more awake now that food is imminent, he gestures towards his coffee table for Chanyeol to place the pizza, and he walks into the kitchen to grab a bottle opener from the drawer.

“You cook?”

Kyungsoo is startled by his presence. He hadn’t expected Chanyeol to follow him like a lost puppy. “You noticed?”

Chanyeol nods enthusiastically. “The cookbooks on the shelf in the living room, and the kitchen utensils on the side look rather expensive. I was also the sole cook in our college dorms. Baekhyun can’t even boil water. I still have the cookbooks my parents gave me, I can find them in one of the boxes and lend them to you if you want?”

Although Kyungsoo is grateful for Chanyeol’s generosity, he doesn’t answer and instead opts to only smile. Is it such a thing to be so hungry you cannot talk? Chanyeol seems to catch on pretty quick, a characteristic of his that Kyungsoo is rapidly beginning to learn about him.

Both sitting down on the sofa together, Kyungsoo opens the box in front of them and he takes a slice, the hot, dripping cheese making his mouth water. “Thank you for this,” Kyungsoo says to an already full-cheeked Chanyeol, who seems to be chewing on what is probably half a slice he has eaten in one bite. “It’s been a long day.”

Chanyeol swallows his mouthful and leans back, looking rather comfortable for someone that’s been in the apartment for all but ten minutes. “Don’t thank me, thank the pizza place that messed up my order. It’s a good thing, really. I wouldn’t have been able to finish this extra pizza by myself and I owed you for helping me move in the other day.” He pauses. “And uh, also for waking you up. Which I am still sorry for, by the way.”

Kyungsoo waves his hand to dismiss the apology. “It’s fine, honestly. Truthfully, it was probably a good thing. I was able to get my work done and it was nice to see the sun rise for once.”

Chanyeol laughs and subsequently chokes on his food. “Not a morning person, I’m learning. Noted.” He coughs to clear his throat. “What do you even do for a job, anyway?” He leans forward to clutch at his beer bottle, the large sleeve of his soft black hoodie threatening to fall right into the pizza as he reaches over. Kyungsoo moves the box just in time to save the sleeve from being dirtied and Chanyeol smiles a silent thank you, a little dimple forming on his left cheek.

“I’m an editor for a publishing company. It basically consists of a lot of reading. And editing. And more reading. Late nights are a part of my job, hence why early mornings are my downfall.”

“That’s understandable,” Chanyeol answers, grabbing a second slice.

After already eating what Kyungsoo can only assume is entire pizza beforehand, Kyungsoo wonders where on Earth it all goes. Chanyeol is tall, long limbed, and lanky. His arms look toned, sure, but his body looks like it’s been pulled from one end and just _stretched_. 

Most likely from his ears.

“What about you?” Kyungsoo asks, even though small talk has never been his forte. He’s a little more awake in his new neighbour’s company, however, and feels obligated to keep the conversation going.

This seems to please Chanyeol.

“I’m a music teacher at an elementary school,” he begins and Kyungsoo can see the light sparkle in his eyes at the subject. “I started today, they’re good kids. Great, actually. I taught them all how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the xylophone.”

Kyungsoo chuckles. “Did it even sound good?”

Chanyeol stops for a moment, as if thinking his words over carefully. “As their teacher, it was wonderful. Truly the best composition I’ve ever heard. As someone who grew up immersed in music ...” A faint smile plays around his lips. “It was truly the best composition I’ve ever heard. You think I’d diss my kids, Kyungsoo? Try again.”

The crinkles at the edges of Chanyeol’s eyes deepen as he smiles from ear to ear and Kyungsoo finds them rather endearing. He takes a sip of his beer to combat his thoughts and finishes his first slice of pizza. Chanyeol is now on his third.

Soon enough the pizza box is empty (“I’m so glad you eat the crusts, Kyungsoo. It really should be illegal to leave them”) and Chanyeol is gearing up to leave. It’s nearing midnight and Kyungsoo curses himself for not realising the time by being too distracted learning things about his new neighbour that make him even more likeable.

“I’ll cook for you sometime, show you my skills,” Chanyeol declares, holding up his hands and wiggling his fingers.

“What’s your speciality?” Kyungsoo asks, amused at just how animated Chanyeol is being this late at night.

Looking at him makes Kyungsoo feel exhausted.

“Italian. I make a mean carbonara. I think I learned the recipe before I knew how to properly read. My mother owns an Italian restaurant, my sister and I grew up on the stuff.”

That explains Chanyeol’s affinity for pizza, and his sister’s apparent adoration for breadsticks.

“That sounds nice,” Kyungsoo replies, accepting his invite and noting Chanyeol perk up at his response.

“Awesome! I think I’m getting quite good at this neighbour thing, you know. Off to a rocky start, but we’re getting there.”

With Chanyeol gone, the apartment is now quiet. Empty. Tiredness rears its ugly head once again and he makes his way to his bedroom, collapsing onto his bed and falls asleep almost immediately.

  


* * *

  


“So… he just showed up? With an _extra_ pizza? And wanted to eat it with you? Is this like a Netflix and chill situation?”

“Oh my God, Junmyeon do _not_ say _Netflix and chill_ around me. That’s it I’m quitting. I’m off to write my resignation right now. I’ll leave it on your desk.”

Junmyeon and Sehun have this annoying habit of intruding upon Kyungsoo’s personal space, walking into his office at random hours of the day and demanding a conversation. Although with Junmyeon it’s mostly work related, whenever Sehun is in the room they always end up attempting to gossip with Kyungsoo. Mostly about Kyungsoo. Yixing, one of the other editors Kyungsoo is close to tends to steer clear, knowing he prefers his time alone.

He likes Yixing.

He wishes he was with Yixing right now.

Kyungsoo sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “No, it wasn’t like that. He said the pizza place messed up his order. He just wanted to be friendly, I guess? That’s all.”

Sehun snorts, shakes his head and crosses his arms. “Pizza places don’t just mess up an order that easily, Kyungsoo. I bet you all the money I have in my bank account that he ordered the pizza on purpose, said it was an extra one and then blamed the pizza place for messing up his order just so he could get to know you better. He’s clever, although a tad transparent. I like him.”

“Then you can be his neighbour,” Kyungsoo replies, shuffling the papers in front of him to give his hands something to do. The urge to throttle Sehun at this moment is almost irresistible.

Sehun smirks. “His taste in men clearly seems to me that of the small and cute type. Not the tall and overwhelmingly good looking type.”

“If you see one of those around, introduce me,” Junmyeon remarks, winking.

Sehun opens his mouth ready to clap back at Junmyeon’s words, but Kyungsoo holds up a hand to stop him. “Do you not have anything better to do than to sit here tormenting me, Sehun? You spend more time here than Junmyeon does,” Kyungsoo says, mocking the younger’s words the day before which doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Rude. I was just leaving anyway. Don’t come crying to me when Junmyeon makes you read another young adult novel about a post-apocalyptic Chicago. I’m not taking it off your hands again.”

Kyungsoo smiles sweetly. “He wouldn’t dare.”

“ _He_ is standing right here and _he_ has an important meeting in ten minutes.”

Junmyeon places both of his hands onto Sehun’s shoulders, which is quite a sight to Kyungsoo as Sehun is significantly taller than their boss, and proceeds to steer him out of the office, leaving Kyungsoo alone. Finally.

He really needs to get a lock for his office door.

  


* * *

  


The first thing Kyungsoo sees when he steps out of his apartment a few days later is _Baekhyun_ walking towards him, his eyes laced with intent.

Kyungsoo turns around to run back inside and hide, but it’s too late. He’s been spotted.

“I was just coming to find you,” Baekhyun says, a spring in his step as he bounds towards Kyungsoo like an excited puppy. His hair is now a deep, dark red and Kyungsoo thinks it suits him better this way, not that he’d ever tell him.

“What.” Kyungsoo deadpans.

“I was just coming to find you!” Baekhyun replies, louder. “We need another person for Mario Party and you’ve got hands. You can sit next to me. I’m awesome. Come on.”

He gives Baekhyun an almighty death glare but it’s left ignored. He grabs Kyungsoo’s arm and before Kyungsoo can even attempt to explain that he was only on his way to grab his mail and that he _really_ doesn’t want to play video games, he’s sat down next to Baekhyun on Chanyeol’s sofa, Wii remote in his hand.

“This is Jongdae,” Baekhyun says, pointing to a blonde haired man in the armchair opposite. “Sometimes he looks at me like he wants to kill me, too.”

“It’s out of love, honey,” Jongdae responds, a sickly sweet smile plastered on his face.

Kyungsoo is a little terrified.

“Hold up,” Chanyeol remarks as he returns from the kitchen holding four cans of coke. “Why do you get to sit next to Kyungsoo? He’s my neighbour not yours.”

Baekhyun scoffs and wraps his arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulder, much to his dismay. “Um, who technically met him first? I did. Not you.”

“Didn’t you literally run into him?” Jongdae asks, accepting the coke held out to him from Chanyeol and pops the top, the noise echoing throughout the apartment. “I’m pretty sure he’d rather sit next to anyone but you.”

Baekhyun pretends to be offended. “That’s not true! I’m easily loveable. I got you to fall for me, didn’t I?”

“The jury is still out on that one.”

Kyungsoo decides that he likes Jongdae.

It turns out that, as expected, Kyungsoo is horribly bad at Mario Party. Chanyeol, on the other hand, is so ridiculously _good_ that it’s no surprise to Kyungsoo when Jongdae lets slip that he and Chanyeol used to be in actual tournaments together as a side hobby back in college.

“That’s how Jongdae and I started seeing each other, isn’t that right babe?” Baekhyun says, throwing heart eyes at his boyfriend who simply nods in return.

“It’s true. Baekhyun came to the tournament final with Chanyeol for support and I left with a trophy and a date. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to shake him off since.”

Baekhyun groans. “You guys are so mean to me. I’m finding better friends.”

“Good luck trying to find others to put up with your whiny ass,” Chanyeol laughs, and proceeds to start a new game.

Despite not wanting or expecting to be there in the first place, Kyungsoo does have a good evening. His Wii skills don’t improve in the slightest, but by the end of the night he can almost tolerate Baekhyun and his clinginess. He’s also laughed multiple times at Jongdae’s jokes, mostly at the expense of Baekhyun, and he’s realised that Chanyeol might actually be more than just his new next door neighbour. They might actually be _friends_.

Jongdae and Baekhyun say their goodbyes after the latter falls asleep on Kyungsoo once they’ve finished playing the game. Jongdae, extremely apologetic for Baekhyun’s obvious personal space issues, asks for Kyungsoo’s phone number so his sleepy boyfriend can text him a proper apology for unashamedly drooling on Kyungsoo’s shoulder and dampening his shirt when he’s more awake. Kyungsoo willingly hands it over with a promise from the other that Baekhyun will buy him a coffee next time they come by.

Kyungsoo lingers in Chanyeol’s apartment for a little longer, helping the taller clean up the cans and Doritos packets from the coffee table. Chanyeol still hasn’t fully unpacked yet, so there’s boxes still strewn all over the floor and bookshelves half built. A bit of a mess, basically.

“You look like you had fun tonight,” Chanyeol notes, interrupting a rather comfortable silence between the two of them. “Even if you were absolutely terrible at Mario Party.”

Kyungsoo laughs, and drops the cans he was holding into the recycling. “I’ve never played that stupid game before. At least I wasn’t as bad as Baekhyun.”

“Nobody is as bad as Baekhyun. I really don’t know how he’s utterly appalling at it. He’s been playing it with Jongdae and me religiously for years now and he’s no better at it than when we started. It’s remarkable, really. I think it’s because he loses focus halfway through when all of the attention isn’t firmly on him.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “I can believe that.”

He suddenly catches himself yawning. The lateness of the evening and quite frankly the amount of unexpected socialising he’s had to do tonight has really taken its toll and he’s ready for bed.

“Please sleep,” Chanyeol advises. “I understand being around the three of us is tiring, I commend you for making it this far.”

He watches as Chanyeol brings up a hand to ruffle his own hair, hesitancy in his movement as he walks Kyungsoo to the door. “Hey, so ... can I get your number, too? You can totally say no, but it might avoid another situation like Baekhyun running out of here to grab you before I can even warn you. For the sake of your own good, you know?”

Kyungsoo looks up at Chanyeol and finds it endearing that he’s being so cautious about this. He grabs his phone from his back pocket and holds it out to Chanyeol, who takes it with a relieved sigh and punches his number into his contacts. He watches Chanyeol shoot a quick text to his own phone so he can save Kyungsoo’s details. He looks at the screen once he receives his phone back, chuckling slightly at the barrage of monkey emojis Chanyeol’s put after his name.

“You know, you could probably just shout or knock on the wall and I’d hear you,” Kyungsoo claims, raising an eyebrow at Chanyeol who simply shrugs in return. “These walls are pretty thin.”

“Maybe I’ll just do that instead next time Baekhyun offers to drag you here for games night.”

“Maybe you should. Next time I feel like getting my ass kicked at something, I’ll let you know. Is there anything you’re _not_ good at?”

“Given enough time any person can do great things if they put their mind to it, Do Kyungsoo.”

Chanyeol smiles, warm and genuine.

Kyungsoo feels a little dizzy.

  


* * *

  


He receives his apology from Baekhyun in the form of a quiet knock on his door bright and early a couple of days later. He holds out a coffee and murmurs a quiet “sorry”, telling Kyungsoo his shoulder is actually very comfortable and he wouldn’t mind sleeping on it again.

He hears Jongdae cough loudly from somewhere in the next apartment, Chanyeol giggling at the sheer jealousy.

Kyungsoo smiles genuinely at the man he’s oddly become a bit fond of, and Baekhyun reaches out and _hugs_ Kyungsoo, exclaiming that they’re going to become _the best of friends_.

Kyungsoo stands still, shocked.

There’s another cough this time, the voice deeper than before.

  


* * *

  


Kyungsoo quickly comes to the realisation that Chanyeol may have a few more hobbies and interests than initially first thought. He’s heard the sound of a violin through his walls multiple this past week. The conclusion is usually accompanied by Baekhyun’s loud cooing, or Jongdae’s loud yelling every time Chanyeol finishes a composition without messing up a note.

And Jongdae yells.

A lot.

It seems that although Chanyeol cannot seem to control his volume, he has however learned not to play too early, or too late. Luckily, it’s at more respectable hours than the first time he heard Chanyeol practicing his music, at a time where he’s usually awake enough in the morning to actually appreciate the playing. Sometimes, the sound hums through the walls when he gets home at night, and the classical music from the guitar, keyboard, or whatever instrument Chanyeol has decided to practice that day strangely soothes him.

He hasn’t seen Chanyeol in a few days, not since the spontaneous game night and so when he receives a text message to his phone he’s fully expecting it to be from Sehun, or Junmyeon.

 ** _Chanyeol [six monkey emojis]_**  
do you have a spare 30 minutes  
need you desperately

 ** _Kyungsoo_**  
Is everything okay?

 ** _Chanyeol [six monkey emojis]_**  
pls

Kyungsoo scrapes his feet back and forth on Chanyeol’s doormat as he waits after knocking. There seems to be a scuffle, a groan of pain, and then the door is opening and he’s being yanked inside by a rather large hand gripping his arm.

“Chanyeol, what th-”

“Baekhyun and Jongdae have their date night and I need you to listen to this and make sure it’s okay before I show it to my afternoon class tomorrow. I promised them I could learn this in one night to prove a point and I just need someone else’s ears to make sure it doesn’t sound awful. Please, Kyungsoo?”

Chanyeol looks a little frantic and Kyungsoo wonders why on Earth he sets himself such high expectations for the kids he teaches, but he agrees anyway and sits on the sofa as Chanyeol takes a deep breath and plays for him.

Chanyeol plays beautifully. 

He performs the piece twice, finishing with a slow exhale and sits down on the edge of the coffee table, eyes wide, and awaiting Kyungsoo’s response.

“It’s ... Chanyeol you play really well. It was wonderful.”

Chanyeol’s entire face lights up. He places the violin down on the table beside him, and heaves a sigh. “Ah, you’re probably just saying that to be neighbourly. But thank you anyway, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “I’m saying it as your _friend_. And I mean it.” He notes Chanyeol’s small smile, the bow of his head as if embarrassed. Kyungsoo almost wants to call him cute, compliment him more.

He stays for a while after Chanyeol insists he makes them tea. Kyungsoo takes the time to have a look around the fully furnished apartment whilst the teapot is brewing and Chanyeol is getting the mugs ready. There are two, large bookshelves against the back wall, now full of books and Kyungsoo looks closer, running his finger delicately over the spines as he takes in the titles. Some are classic literature books that look like they’ve never been read. Others are old, worn music journals that look like they’ve been read too much. A couple of cookbooks sit on the higher shelves, and what looks to be an old school yearbook has been placed beside them. A few tattered notebooks are scattered amongst them all.

The living room itself is not particularly large, but Kyungsoo can tell it’s slightly bigger than his. There’s a dining table pushed back against the opposite wall that’s _full_ of paperwork, more notebooks, pencils and pens. An organised mess, he guesses Chanyeol would call it. There’s certainly no room to eat food. Simple frames on the walls encase photos of a woman and her child, a small, black puppy, and who he assumes to be his parents. The apartment is messy. And homely. And inherently Chanyeol.

Chanyeol walks back into the living room carrying the steaming mugs of tea, handing one to Kyungsoo carefully and following his eyes to the pictures on the wall.

“That’s my sister, Yoora, and my niece, Hyerin,” Chanyeol says with a smile. The crinkles by his eyes prominent once more and Kyungsoo can’t help but stare. “That’s my puppy, Toben. Yoora looks after him as I don’t have time to with my job, but I see him pretty much every other weekend.”

There is a fondness in his expression as he tells Kyungsoo about his childhood without any prompting whatsoever. Kyungsoo listens intently, sincerely interested in Chanyeol’s words about how had fallen in love with music when he was a child, and learned how to play the guitar from a very young age, how his sister is a news anchor for Channel 5, and how it was his dream to learn and teach others, for his students to be just as passionate about music as he is.

When Chanyeol hugs Kyungsoo that night, thanking him for listening to him ramble for an hour about every aspect of his life, Kyungsoo manages to thank him too. For the drink, the whole evening, the _friendship_ , though the latter remains unsaid.

  


* * *

  


The nights grow cooler as the leaves on the trees start to slowly change colour. Kyungsoo finally feels it’s safe enough to sit out on his balcony in the evenings without the heat beating down on his skin, making him uncomfortable and subsequently unproductive. He has always liked his balcony view, one of the many perks of his apartment as it overlooks a tranquil park, twinned with a small, caged basketball court. 

The view, the atmosphere is calming amongst the busy city and Kyungsoo likes to sit at his old, worn outside table and relax. He usually takes this time to catch up on any paperwork he's not been able to finish before Junmyeon throws him out the office, and tonight is no exception. He opens his laptop and gets to work, taking a sip of his cold lemonade every now and again to keep himself hydrated and awake. 

About an hour passes and Kyungsoo forces himself to take a break. His eyes are beginning to hurt from the lack of rest and he sits back, swivels his chair to face the open view and breathes in the fresh air.

There's a sudden shout which startles him from his serenity and he opens his eyes wide, searching for the noise, grumbling at his peace being disturbed. The sun is beginning to set and the low light makes it harder for him to see. He squints in the general direction of the basketball court and can make out a few shirtless people shouting, running back and forth across the court, shrieking every time one of them shoots a basket. One of the men laughs, a loud, melodic, low laugh and Kyungsoo knows that sound anywhere. He's heard it in person, he's heard it through his walls, and over the phone.

Chanyeol manages to shoot again, successfully scoring, and runs over to a smaller man on his team. He picks him up by the waist and spins him around, jumping up and down in the process. The smaller man hits his shoulders in a successful attempt for Chanyeol to put him down and hits him again once his feet are firmly on the floor as punishment. Chanyeol bends over dramatically, clutching his stomach and the smaller man laughs and bumps his shoulder against Chanyeol's, pushing him slightly to stand up straight and the game starts back up again. 

Work completely abandoned, Kyungsoo watches the game until its end. Watches as Chanyeol jumps up and down in glee when his team wins. Watches him grab his shirt from the side of the court and sling it over one of his broad shoulders. He says something to his teammate and they leave together, heading towards the apartment building. Kyungsoo, suddenly realising that if Chanyeol looks up a bit he'll see Kyungsoo looking directly at him, gathers up his things from the table and bustles back inside. He shuts the double doors leading to the balcony, praying he wasn't seen.

There's a noise outside his door a few minutes later and Kyungsoo can't help but be intrigued at who exactly this small man is. As far as Kyungsoo is aware, Chanyeol's only other guests who frequent his apartment are Baekhyun, Jongdae, and himself. He tiptoes to his door and presses an ear against it, hissing quietly as the cold of the wood startles him.

"Is this where your neighbour lives?" a muffled, unfamiliar voice asks.

"Yeah, but it's fine. I can give him the parcel tomorrow. I'll probably see him in the evening anyw- Minseok!"

There's a loud knocking at the door. It reverberates throughout Kyungsoo's entire body and he jumps back, shocked at the sound so loud in his ears. He would debate not answering it and pretend that he wasn’t at home or was asleep, but in his fright he had bashed into the small table, knocking over the key bowl in the process, creating a shattering sound on the floor. He sighs, takes a deep breath, and opens the door.

"Hi!" the unfamiliar voice exclaims, holding out the parcel to Kyungsoo, waiting for him to take it from his hands. "I'm Minseok, Chanyeol's work buddy. We saw this parcel lying on the floor next to the mailboxes and Chanyeol suggested we bring it up. He's such a good neighbour, right?"

Chanyeol huffs out a sigh. "Minseok I swear to God-"

The first thing Kyungsoo observes is they're both still shirtless. And rather sweaty. Minseok is considerably smaller than Chanyeol, but no taller than Kyungsoo. His dirty blond hair is pushed back out of his face and he's rather dashingly good looking, his wide, bright smile warm.

"I ... guess so?" Kyungsoo says eventually, stepping outside into the hallway and taking the parcel from Minseok who turns around and looks at Chanyeol. He mouths something Kyungsoo can't make out and Chanyeol blushes a deep red, taking the shirt from his shoulder and smacking Minseok with the end of it.

Kyungsoo notices the jut of Chanyeol's collar bones. 

He promptly looks back at Minseok.

"Chanyeol was telling me today that you guys have become fast friends. That's cute. He's really easy to talk to, right? I'm the gym teacher at our school, he was gloating-”

“I was not _gloating_ , Minseok, oh my God-”

“He was _gloating_ to our science teacher, Yifan, that he’s got a mean hook shot so I bet that he couldn't get more baskets than me. The loser has to buy the other coffee for a week."

"I won," Chanyeol says from behind Minseok, placing a hand on the other's bare shoulder and leaning forward. "For a gym teacher he's awful."

Kyungsoo wants to say that, from where he was sitting on his balcony, Minseok didn't look that bad at basketball but he doesn't want to come off weird and creepy so he stays quiet.

"I'm not awful! It's not my fault you're freakishly good at everything you do," Minseok articulates, turning back to Kyungsoo and rolling his eyes. "It's frustrating."

Chanyeol laughs once and pushes the hair back out of his eyes, grabbing onto his shirt as it slowly slips off his shoulder. "I need to shower, and you need to leave Kyungsoo alone. Actually, just leave or I'm ambushing your class tomorrow and telling them how a music teacher kicked your ass at sports. I've been silent for weeks now. It's getting harder to keep quiet."

Minseok growls at Chanyeol, changing his expression in an instant as he chirpily says goodbye to Kyungsoo, who thanks him for the parcel. Chanyeol is still standing in the hallway opposite him. Still shirtless. And still sweaty.

"I'm sorry about him," Chanyeol mumbles sheepishly, kicking his foot at nothing in particular. "I saw the parcel with your name on it and he insisted he bring it up here as I've talked about you before and he wanted to meet you. I-"

Kyungsoo smirks. "You've talked about me?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow in his neighbour's direction.

Chanyeol splutters. "I ... as a next door neighbour and friend! Minseok can be very invasive and you know what I'm like, once I start talking I never stop. He's super friendly, he's like the embodiment of a thousand exclamation points at the end of a sentence. He introduced himself in the break room on my first day and we bonded pretty quickly. The other day he overheard mine and Yifan’s conversation about how I used to play basketball as a kid, and he challenged me." Chanyeol smiles. "And lost."

A breeze rolls through from under the fire escape door at the end of the hallway, and Chanyeol shivers. "Anyway, shower and bed for me, I'm exhausted. Minseok really gives you a run for your money, literally. I scored more baskets than him tonight, I'm up 20,000 won and free coffee for the next week." He wipes his forehead with his creased shirt and smiles softly at Kyungsoo. "Goodnight, Kyungsoo. I hope your parcel was worth meeting Minseok for!"

  


* * *

  


"He was playing basketball shirtless with a bunch of other shirtless guys? Isn't that a little homoerotic?” Sehun asks rhetorically after forcing the information out of Kyungsoo, who had stupidly mentioned in passing that he had seen Chanyeol the night before. He should really learn to never tell Sehun anything. He makes the same mistake every time. "Just a couple of sweaty bros being bros, playing sports and other things guys do ... as bros.”

“Isn’t that your fantasy, Sehun?" Junmyeon pipes up from the other end of Kyungsoo's office, a comment that gets him hit in the head with Sehun’s empty crumpled up paper coffee cup.

"When are you going to invite us around, anyway? I want to meet him. He sounds exhausting. I love it."

"Never, Sehun," Kyungsoo replies, standing his ground. "In fact you are banned from my apartment. I'm banning you from my office too. Out."

Sehun ignores him. “Do you think he was showing off? _Oh, look at me being talented at sports with my shirt off! I hope Kyungsoo doesn’t see!_ ”

Junmyeon laughs, and Kyungsoo scowls. “That’s impossible, he doesn’t even know I can see the court from my balcony.”

Sehun throws his hands up in the air in glee. “You can see the court from your balcony? You never mentioned that, Kyungsoo. I can’t believe you were stalking him.” He turns to Junmyeon, snickering. “You’ve hired a stalker, Junmyeon. He stalks people.”

Kyungsoo wants to bash his head against the table. Or Sehun’s. He’ll settle for either.

  


* * *

  


“So, you play games with three people you hardly know and yet, you still refuse to play with me whenever I ask?”

Kyungsoo sighs and takes a sip of the coffee Yixing had bought him, frowning at the over-sweetness of the latte but he doesn’t complain. He hadn’t wanted to tell Yixing of this, but someone in the office, most likely Sehun, had finally blabbed and Kyungsoo knew this would come eventually. 

“I didn’t really have much of a choice, Yixing. One of them practically pulled me into the apartment and wouldn’t let me go. Literally.”

Yixing laughs. “And when have you ever been one who can’t say no?”

Kyungsoo sits back on the bench and nuzzles his chin into his thin scarf, not ignoring Yixing’s words exactly, but not replying to them either.

They’re sitting on Kyungsoo’s favourite park bench – an old, dark wooden seat that overlooks a sanded pathway that disappears into the more forested area of the park. It’s relaxing; people sometimes walk past him with their dogs, spouses, or children. Joggers frequently run past, too engrossed in their music to care about anything around them. The tall trees, now almost bare from the changing of seasons are usually bright green and full, interlacing with one another, beautiful. Kyungsoo likes to sit here when the noise, or _life_ , gets a little too much, when he needs to get away and just breathe.

It’s been one of those weeks. 

Back to back meetings with prospective authors pitching their novel ideas. Hours spent editing, rereading, and editing again. Endless emails accepting and declining proposals. With _Kim & Co Publishing_ moving to accept un-agented manuscripts, his inbox is now busier than ever with perspective independent authors wanting their thoughts heard, their writing read. It keeps him at his desk until the late evening after the sun has set, when Junmyeon almost has to physically kick him out of the office to close up for the night. 

Yixing, after a particularly gruelling day, had invited him out with the promise of lunch and coffee and Kyungsoo had accepted graciously. He would have spent this weekend catching up on work anyway, and he had figured it would be nice to leave the confines of four walls and get a bit of fresh air. Plus, a free lunch is always nice.

He thinks about Yixing’s words, how Kyungsoo didn’t really mind being dragged by Baekhyun because he actually _enjoyed_ that evening. He also doesn’t mind the random texts at night from Chanyeol he’s been receiving recently. Asking him if his guitar playing is too loud, or if he has a spare phone charger, or if he can come and borrow some batteries because the ones in his remote control are flat. He _likes_ it. He likes Chanyeol. The strange contrast of Chanyeol’s endearing loudness versus his introverted state of self is still shocking to Kyungsoo. He doesn’t want to think about the well-known cliché of _opposites attract_ but he doesn’t really know how else to describe their friendship. When Chanyeol isn’t asking Kyungsoo to help him with whatever skill he wants to learn that day, they bond over music, cooking and movies. Kyungsoo loves foreign films with subtitles, and Chanyeol loves anything with a good love story. Oddly, it mixes rather well.

His friendship with his old neighbour, Mrs. Choi, was based on their mutual love for chocolate chip cookies and Kyungsoo’s ability to patiently listen to a story she had already told him at least three times before. Chanyeol reminds Kyungsoo of her in a way. How they both get excited over the smallest things. How, if Kyungsoo is sitting close enough, he’ll always end up getting hit on the knee or shoulder by them if something he said was unintentionally funny. How they both love to cook, and the conversations Kyungsoo has had with both of them regarding recipes, tips and tricks.

He misses Mrs. Choi. But that spark between Kyungsoo and Chanyeol is so _intriguing_ that it makes him a bit nervous.

“Hey, Kyungsoo? There’s a man waving at you at over there.” Yixing taps Kyungsoo’s shoulder in a bid to get him to look up, and points over at a tall, gangly limbed man in a t-shirt and black sweatpants running towards them, a cheerful smile adorning his face.

Kyungsoo feels his cheeks turn pink and he buries himself even further into his scarf.

“Kyungsoo! I thought it was you!” Chanyeol stops in front of them, panting slightly after running a little faster to greet him. “It’s funny to see you outside, usually you’re cooped up in your apartment over your laptop.”

Yixing takes this moment to laugh out loud and nod in agreement. He looks over at Kyungsoo with a smirk on his face. “He has a point you know.”

Chanyeol’s face drops ever so slightly as he looks over to Yixing as if noticing him for the first time, and his brow furrows a little. “Sorry,” he says, his face regaining composure rather quickly, and he holds out his hand to greet the other. “I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Chanyeol, Kyungsoo’s neighbour.”

Yixing’s smirk turns into a shit-eating grin as he shakes Chanyeol’s hand. “Chanyeol! I’ve heard about you. It’s nice to meet you finally.”

Chanyeol laughs nervously as he ruffles his hair and takes out one of his ear buds, leaving it to dangle around his neck. “Kyungsoo must talk about me quite a lot. I guess I’ve made an impact.”

Kyungsoo almost drops his coffee as he sits forward and glares at Chanyeol first, then Yixing who is laughing again. “I do not!”

“You’re only lying to yourself, Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol looks around and his eyes follow the path into the forested part of the park. “It’s nice around here, I’ve never taken this path to run before. A nice place for a date, too.”

The inflection in his voice does not go unnoticed by either Kyungsoo or Yixing, and before Kyungsoo can even deny the statement clearly aimed at them, Yixing speaks up, holding out his left hand and wiggling it to garner Chanyeol’s attention. “Happily married,” he states, showing off the simple gold band on his wedding finger.

Chanyeol’s eyes widen. “You’re both married?” His voice squeaks as he looks from Kyungsoo, to Yixing, and back to Kyungsoo once more. “I’ve not seen you around I ... I had no idea. Do you not live together then?”

It takes a moment for Kyungsoo to register that Chanyeol thinks Yixing and Kyungsoo are married. _To each other._ He can’t help but burst out laughing. “No, Chanyeol. He’s married to someone else. See?” He holds out his own hand, showing the lack of jewellery decorating his fingers. “Not married.”

“Oh!” Chanyeol responds, smiling softly, the tips of his ears turning red. “I’m sorry for assuming. That’s good then. I mean, that isn’t what I meant but you … anyway, uh, it was nice to meet you, Yixing! I’d best be going now … I’ve got to get back and get ready for Baekhyun to pick me up for bowling later … and uh, this run isn’t going to finish itself.”

He places his ear bud back in his ear and jogs away without saying goodbye, leaving Kyungsoo in a stunned silence.

“That didn’t even make sense? Is he always this much of a bumbling mess around you, Kyungsoo? I can see what Sehun’s talking about now.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t want to know what that means.

  


* * *

  


**_Chanyeol [six monkey emojis]_**  
I beat baekhyun at bowling by 3 points  
now he refuses to talk to me  
jongdae’s taken his side

 ** _Kyungsoo_**  
You’re good at bowling too?  
Is there anything you can’t do?

 ** _Chanyeol [six monkey emojis]_**  
let my friends win to keep them happy  
wish you were here

 ** _Kyungsoo_**  
No you don’t. I’m terrible at bowling

 ** _Chanyeol [six monkey emojis]_**  
>:( kyungsoo-yah

  


* * *

  


As winter settles in, spending time at Chanyeol’s apartment in the evenings becomes a regular occurrence, to the point where sometimes Chanyeol doesn’t even need to text Kyungsoo to ask him to come around. They share a pizza and a drink or two and they spend their evenings watching TV, or listening to new albums. He’s not sure whether it’s because Chanyeol’s heating is better than his or the extra blankets Chanyeol throws at him when Kyungsoo complains about the outside cold, but Chanyeol’s apartment is _warmer_ and _cosier_ than his. 

He likes it there.

He likes spending time with his loud, friendly, fascinating neighbour. 

He likes this. 

More than he’d care to think about.

  


* * *

  


Kyungsoo falls for Chanyeol on a Saturday.

(Or rather, Kyungsoo finally acknowledges his feelings for Chanyeol on a Saturday.)

He sits at home becoming one with his sofa and catching up on an episode of his favourite cooking show he’d missed during the week, when there’s a faint knock at the door. Kyungsoo isn’t quite sure he hears it at first, but when the knock happens again a couple of seconds later – this time slightly louder – he pauses his show, and makes his way to open the door.

A small, brunette haired child, probably about six or seven years old stands in front of him, tapping her foot and humming along to a random tune, only stopping when Kyungsoo clears his throat.

“Um,” he mutters, confused, leaning out of his doorway slightly and looking left and right for the kid’s parents. “Are you lost?”

“Uncle Chanyeol wants you to watch him braid my hair,” the girl responds, her voice squeaking the way Chanyeol’s does at the end of the sentence when he gets a bit too excited.

The puzzle pieces fit together in his mind and he huffs out a sigh, grateful that he isn’t going to have to look after this child.

“You must be Hyerin,” he clarifies with a short smile, and squats down so he’s eye level with her. “Chanyeol’s told me all about you.”

Hyerin grins and puffs out her chest proudly at Kyungsoo’s remark. She then leans forward, grabs a hold of Kyungsoo’s arm and starts to tug, causing Kyungsoo to nearly topple over in the process.

“Come on then,” she exclaims insistently, not waiting for Kyungsoo’s answer, barely allowing him to close the door behind him. “He’s waiting for me.”

She leaves without him, skipping across the hallway floor and tripping on Chanyeol’s doormat, catching herself on the doorframe before she falls over completely.

 _Definitely Chanyeol’s niece,_ Kyungsoo thinks, and rolls his eyes.

When he walks into the familiar apartment, he notices Chanyeol sitting cross legged on the floor in front of the coffee table, eyebrows furrowed while viewing something on his laptop.

“Is hairdressing your hobby this week?” Kyungsoo asks, watching as Chanyeol pauses the video to answer him.

Before Chanyeol can retaliate however, Hyerin stomps her foot dramatically and folds her arms across her chest, nudging Chanyeol’s shoulder with her side. “Can you braid my hair now, Uncle Chanyeol?” she asks, sitting down next to him, copying his posture and tilting her head up to view the video Chanyeol has now un-paused. Kyungsoo walks closer to them, noting the tutorial Chanyeol is watching, and his insides melt a little.

“Hairdressing isn’t exactly my hobby this week,” Chanyeol says, positioning the laptop and himself so he’s now sat behind his niece. He gathers her hair in his large hands. “But making my niece happy is. Braiding is more difficult than I imagined. What on Earth is a _fishtail braid_ , Kyungsoo? I never knew that was a thing until I watched about a thousand tutorials on it this afternoon.”

The sleeves of Chanyeol’s large, forest green hoodie fall over his hands and he releases Hyerin’s hair to roll them up to his elbows. He grabs a couple of the hair ties from the coffee table in preparation. Kyungsoo sits down, not on the sofa but on the floor right next to Chanyeol and Hyerin, leaning forward to watch Chanyeol’s hands work.

It takes Chanyeol a few tries, with a few grunts of pain from Hyerin as Chanyeol accidentally pulls her hair a little too hard, and a few comments from Kyungsoo regarding stray strands of hair. Once the braid is completed, Hyerin bounds into Chanyeol’s room to look in the mirror and there’s a shout of glee to which Chanyeol smiles in response, a warm, genuine smile that goes right to Kyungsoo’s heart.

“Thank you, Uncle Chanyeol!” Hyerin shouts as she rushes back into the living room, scrambling into Chanyeol’s lap to hug him. Chanyeol cuddles her closer and kisses the top of her head, nuzzling his nose into her hair, careful not to displace the braid he’s spent so long perfecting.

Hyerin lets Chanyeol go from her grip and repositions herself in his lap so she’s facing him fully. She reaches up to grab Chanyeol’s cheeks with her tiny hands, bringing his head down to her level, before she kisses his now closed eyelids ever so softly. Chanyeol, usually so big, vibrant and loud seems so small, quiet and lenient in this moment and although this side of Chanyeol no longer surprises Kyungsoo, it’s still rare, and beautiful to witness.

Kyungsoo wants to kiss his eyelids, too.

A little later, it dawns on Kyungsoo that he hasn’t even thought about going back home to his own apartment. Chanyeol is preparing snacks in the kitchen while Kyungsoo and Hyerin sit on the sofa, watching some children’s movie that Kyungsoo has never seen, but Hyerin knows most of the words to. It’s late in the afternoon and Hyerin is beginning to show signs that’s she’s tired. She yawns, stretching her arms out, nearly hitting Kyungsoo in the face, and she leans into him slightly, as if to gauge if Kyungsoo is okay with the contact. When he doesn’t move in discomfort, Hyerin leans closer, and fidgets to try and get comfortable.

“Are you okay?” Kyungsoo asks, as Hyerin huffs out a second sigh. Her subtle grumbles of restlessness are beginning to make Kyungsoo feel bad for her, and he almost calls out for Chanyeol.

“Can I sit on your lap?” she asks quietly, hesitant as if worried Kyungsoo will say no. He stills for a moment at the question, but then nods and Hyerin crawls to sit on his legs, letting her head fall into the crook between Kyungsoo’s neck and shoulder. The noises subside and she reaches up to push a stray strand of hair away from her face as she carries on watching the movie, this time silent, content and comfortable.

Chanyeol walks in a couple of minutes later, plate in each hand and he stops in his tracks, taking in the sight before him. Kyungsoo notices the fondness in his eyes and the tips of his own ears turn pink under Chanyeol’s gaze. He looks away, down to Hyerin who’s engrossed in the movie on the television.

“You’re getting along well,” Chanyeol mutters, sitting down next to them and placing the snacks on the table. “I never really took you for a kids person.”

Hyerin at that moment shifts in Kyungsoo’s lap and turns to face Chanyeol.

“Uncle Chanyeol?” she asks, reaching out towards him, her small hand wrapping around two of his fingers. “Is Kyungsoo your boyfriend?”

Chanyeol splutters on air and Kyungsoo goes awfully still, unnoticed by Hyerin but the tension in the air is apparent as Chanyeol laughs awkwardly. He brings up a hand to rub at the back of his head, messing up his hair completely and Kyungsoo thinks he looks a little adorable like this, lost for words.

“No, Hyerin, sweetie,” Chanyeol says eventually, shifting closer to Hyerin to run a thumb over her cheek. “He’s not.”

Hyerin huffs in response, and turns back toward the television. “He should be, his lap is very comfy.”

Both Kyungsoo and Chanyeol laugh, and Hyerin shushes them both so she can continue watching the movie.

When Yoora picks Hyerin up and apologises to Kyungsoo for her clinginess, Hyerin makes Kyungsoo promise that he’ll be there next time Chanyeol babysits. She holds out her pinky finger to Kyungsoo and he intertwines it with his own, promising his presence next time she comes to stay for the day. Happy with his words, she hugs him goodbye, reaching out with her other hand to grab Chanyeol too. Chanyeol envelopes them both in his arms and whispers a sorry to Kyungsoo but bellows a bright goodbye for Hyerin, and lets them go to pick her up so he can hug her fully and kiss her on the cheek.

With Hyerin and Yoora gone, Kyungsoo stays for a while longer, cleaning up the plates and dirty cups from the side as Chanyeol gathers the hairbrush and hair ties, and places them on the already fully covered dining table for when she’s over next.

It’s late and Kyungsoo is tired, every nerve in his body is telling him not to yawn but he doesn’t want to leave yet. Doesn’t want to leave _Chanyeol_. His body wins, however. Although he tries to stifle it as much as possible, Chanyeol catches him yawning behind his hand and the fondness is back in his eyes as he tilts his head slightly, and reaches out to stroke Kyungsoo’s arm. “Can I walk you back home?” he asks quietly, and Kyungsoo laughs low at his ridiculous proposition.

“I live ten steps away from your door, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol shrugs his shoulders, as if there’s nothing at all wrong with his words. “I know.”

He opens his front door for Kyungsoo and walks with him side by side back to Kyungsoo’s own apartment, leaning against the wall as Kyungsoo begins to unlock his door.

“Thank you for today,” Chanyeol says, low and careful not to wake the other neighbours on their floor. “She wanted to meet you.”

Kyungsoo turns to Chanyeol, and raises an eyebrow. “You talk about me?” he asks, words familiar to Chanyeol who smiles in return and nods.

“She said you wanted me over there,” Kyungsoo remarks, remembering Hyerin’s words earlier that day, right on this exact spot they’re both standing on.

Chanyeol doesn’t speak for a second or so, and waits for Kyungsoo to finish unlocking his door.

“She wasn’t exactly wrong.”

Kyungsoo looks up at Chanyeol, at the tiredness in his eyes, the way they’re narrowed slightly, focused on nothing but Kyungsoo. He feels bare, open and small in Chanyeol’s presence, under Chanyeol’s gaze, but he doesn’t look away. He doesn’t want to.

Chanyeol breathes in, and pushes himself away from the wall. “Goodnight, Kyungsoo. I promise I’ll cook for you sometime as a thank you. Maybe at your apartment, hm? I feel we spend too much time in mine. It’ll be a nice change of scenery, don’t you think?”

Kyungsoo doesn’t answer. He just watches Chanyeol walk back into his apartment, listening for the sound of the door shutting and the lock clicking, before he steps into his own. He leans his head against the wall and closes his eyes.

Kyungsoo is fucked.

So, completely fucked for his tall, lanky, and talented next door neighbour.

  


* * *

  


Now that Kyungsoo has finally acknowledged that the weird, fluttery feelings he gets in his stomach whenever he’s around Chanyeol means he _likes_ his neighbour, everything Chanyeol does seems to suddenly be _fucking adorable_. The way he texts Kyungsoo a goodnight two minutes after they see each other in the hallway after late nights. The way Chanyeol turns up at his doorstep first thing in the morning asking for cereal, because he’s run out and doesn’t want to start his day on an empty stomach. The way he’ll turn his music on a little too loud, or shout at the television when he gets a question wrong on an old rerun of some quiz show he’s a little _too_ into, and ends up bellowing a “SORRY KYUNGSOO!” through their shared wall. The other neighbours on the floor must wonder what on Earth is going on between the two of them, and Kyungsoo is, quite honestly, surprised that none of them have complained as of yet.

Not to mention that Chanyeol is ridiculously good at, pretty much, everything he sets his mind to. It’s rather infuriating, really. 

“He’s exhausting,” Kyungsoo confides to a rather amused Yixing over a late night meal of takeout at the office. Kyungsoo had originally wanted to go home, make himself some comfort food and sleep, but Yixing had asked him to help him with his upcoming proposal with the promise of Chinese food and beer, and Kyungsoo couldn’t say no.

Yixing points his chopsticks at Kyungsoo accusingly and smirks. “It sounds like you like him, Kyungsoo. Do you like him?”

“Yes? No? Yes? Maybe.”

Yixing yips in glee, his dimples prominent and cute. Kyungsoo wants to hit him. “Does it feel good that you’ve finally admitted it out loud?”

Kyungsoo scowls. “No.”

Yixing laughs again and Kyungsoo groans, letting his head fall onto the table dramatically. “I never had this with Mrs. Choi,” he mumbles quietly, remembering how there was no nonsense, no fuss, no trouble with his old neighbour.

“Are you going to confess?” Yixing asks around a mouthful of rice.

Kyungsoo lifts up his head from the desk and looks at him, disgusted, and he’s not entirely sure whether it’s because of the question or if it’s because Yixing is talking with his mouth full of chewed up food. Probably a little of both.

“I’m not going to just _confess to my neighbour_ , Yixing. What if he says no? I’ll have to move away to avoid the awkwardness. I don’t want to move. I like my apartment.”

Yixing frowns at Kyungsoo like he’s just said something preposterous. “But he likes you,” he declares, like it’s the easiest, most obvious statement in the world and Kyungsoo is an idiot for not realising so.

Kyungsoo stares at him, bewildered. “And where is the proof for that?”

Yixing throws his hands up into the air, and a single piece of Kung Pao chicken falls onto Kyungsoo’s office floor from the takeout box in Yixing’s hand. “My eyes are proof! Did you not see the way his face fell when he thought we were married? You’re so oblivious. Sehun was right.”

Kyungsoo sighs. “Can you stop listening to everything Sehun says? He’s a little shit, he loves taking things out of proportion. It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything is absolutely fine.”

Yixing hums and rolls his eyes. “Does Junmyeon know?”

“No.”

“But he’s your oldest friend, Kyungsoo.” A tone that sounds awfully a lot like disappointment laces Yixing’s words and Kyungsoo almost feels bad.

“We aren’t back in high school, Yixing. It’s just a stupid crush on my neighbour. Junmyeon has been with me through every one of my past relationships and saw how they ended. I don’t want to burden him with something as menial as this. Plus, he’s busier than all of us put together, I don’t want him to worry about this.” He shrugs nonchalantly. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“But you’d rather burden me instead?” Yixing smiles, dimples on display.

“You asked!” Kyungsoo replies, mildly frustrated. This whole situation seems ludicrous over a tiny _crush_ and he wants this conversation to end. “Don’t you dare tell Junmyeon. I don’t care if he’s your husband.”

Yixing doesn’t say anything. He just smiles, shakes his head, and turns back to his laptop to pick up where he left off reading.

“You’re cleaning that chicken up, by the way.” Kyungsoo informs him, nodding his head towards the piece of discarded food on the floor. He puts a pork dumpling in his mouth and goes back to pretending to focus on the document on his laptop.

He definitely does _not_ think about if Chanyeol likes Chinese food too, and definitely does _not_ think about asking Chanyeol over to eat some together one evening.

 ** _Junmyeon ___** _ ___  
A little bird told me you have a crush on your neighbour  
Why didn’t you tell me, Kyungsoo?  
:)

____

  


* * *

  


Kyungsoo is almost used to the low thrum of noise that echoes throughout his apartment on the weekend whenever Baekhyun and Jongdae are over at Chanyeol’s apartment. Usually it’s just muffled noises; Baekhyun whining when he loses at the video game they’re playing, Jongdae laughing at Baekhyun losing, Chanyeol laughing at them both, then presumably telling them they’re being too loud as the sounds hush again for a while.

He’s lounging around on his sofa when his phone buzzes next to him, startling him from browsing recipes to save to his bookmarks. He picks up his phone and isn’t particularly surprised to see Chanyeol’s name appear on the screen, but it still makes him feel a little warm inside anyway. He swipes at the screen and opens the message, reads the two words _Baekhyun incoming_ , and sighs.

Sure enough, a few seconds later there’s hushed sounds from outside his apartment and an eventual knock. He opens the door to an excited Baekhyun, and a rather tired Jongdae. The contrast makes Kyungsoo want to laugh.

“Jongdae and Chanyeol played tennis today and I had to sit there and watch, so they promised me that I could invite you to movie night.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t move from his doorway as he looks to Baekhyun, Jongdae, and then Baekhyun again. “Do I not get a say in this?” he asks eventually, and Baekhyun shakes his head. “Well, what if I’m busy?”

Baekhyun quirks an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Are you?”

“Well, that is beside the point, I-”

“Basically, Baekhyun misses you,” Jongdae says. He dodges a slap to the arm from his boyfriend at the revelation.

Baekhyun scoffs. “So does Chanyeol! He always talks about him when he’s not there! Oh, Kyungsoo did this today, Kyungsoo did that today, Kyungsoo wore this cute button down shirt with the top button done up, he looked ado-”

Jongdae puts his hand over Baekhyun’s mouth and ushers him away, turning back to Kyungsoo with an apologetic smile. “The offer still stands. We’d all like for you to join us.”

Kyungsoo thinks about how he would never have had this with Mrs. Choi. Sure, she had invited him into her apartment every now and again, but she never actively knocked on his door and practically begged him to come around.

But he’s come to like and appreciate the friendship he has, not only with Chanyeol, but with Baekhyun and Jongdae as well. He likes the fact that they cherish his company, even if they do ask him to hang out in the most unconventional ways. 

He groans, defeated.

The movie decided, with no input from Kyungsoo whatsoever, Baekhyun draws the curtains and sits down right next to Kyungsoo. He places his arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulders, and shuffles a little to get closer and comfier.

Chanyeol walks in a moment later, looking soft in an oversized black sweater and dark denim shorts cut off at the knee, a bowl of popcorn in each hand. He places them down onto the coffee table and goes to sit down on the end of the sofa, but seemingly decides against it.

“Baekhyun, move.”

Baekhyun looks a little offended at Chanyeol’s suggestion, and grips the sleeve of Kyungsoo’s sweater tighter. “What? Why?”

Chanyeol folds his arms. “My apartment, my rules,” he pouts. “Move, please.”

Baekhyun sulks and unwraps himself from Kyungsoo, making sure to give Chanyeol a death glare as he walks to jump into Jongdae’s lap, who is seated in the small armchair to the right of them. “I hope you feel loved, Do Kyungsoo. Because I certainly don’t.”

Jongdae chuckles at his boyfriend and cuddles a clingy Baekhyun closer, nuzzling his nose into Baekhyun’s hair. He whispers something into Baekhyun’s ear, which causes him to smile and rest his head on Jongdae’s shoulder.

Chanyeol, in the meantime, has now taken up two thirds of his sofa, his back leaning against the armrest as his bare legs have settled over Kyungsoo’s lap.

“Is this okay?” Chanyeol whispers to Kyungsoo, who nods in response and places his hands on Chanyeol’s calves, rubbing little circles into the skin with his thumbs. Chanyeol makes a tiny shocked noise at the motion so Kyungsoo carries on, not even daring to look at Baekhyun and Jongdae who have become suspiciously quiet.

The movie finishes. Kyungsoo is lucky he’s seen it before, as Baekhyun had talked throughout the entire movie and Jongdae answered every one of his questions. If Kyungsoo had his way Baekhyun would have been shushed to silence the first question he asked. Chanyeol’s legs have not moved from Kyungsoo’s lap, however rather than rubbing slow circles into Chanyeol’s shins, his small hands are now just resting atop Chanyeol’s knees. He’s comfortable like this, Chanyeol’s touch and the warmth of the apartment is making him rather sleepy and he leans back and rests his head against the back of the sofa, content.

Baekhyun switches the television to some comedy program Chanyeol had recorded, which seems to be a tradition now when the movie ends and no one wants to leave Chanyeol’s apartment.

When everyone eventually stands up to grab snacks and drinks, Kyungsoo is left alone in the living room and his curiosity takes him to the messy dining table while he’s waiting for the other three to get back from the kitchen. There’s two open notebooks on the table, one of them looks like notes for a future lesson plans, but the other catches Kyungsoo’s eye immediately and he reaches forward to pick it up and read.

Lyrics. Written in pen, scrawls and messy writing fill each line of the pages, little notes in the margins, doodles in the top corners.

He moves to put the notebook back down after scanning the first page, worried he’s intruding on Chanyeol’s privacy and reading something personal but a large hand stops him and Kyungsoo looks up, wide eyed at Chanyeol, questioning.

“It’s okay,” Chanyeol informs him, his hand not leaving the top of Kyungsoo’s. “You can read them.”

His eyes are kind, his smile inviting and Kyungsoo falls ever deeper. He wants to lean up on his tip toes and kiss him, kiss his cheeks, kiss the underside of his jaw and anywhere else he can reach. Chanyeol is so tall, big and warm and beautiful and it’s too much. Too much for Kyungsoo to bear. He looks away, back to the lyrics, the scribbles gracing the pages of the notebook in his hands.

“Kyungsoo.”

He shivers ever so slightly at the way Chanyeol murmurs his name, so delicate and low and perfect. The silence between them is palpable as they look at each other, and Kyungsoo swears that it’s not his mind playing tricks on him when Chanyeol leans in just a little closer...

Baekhyun walks back into the living room and spots the notebook in Kyungsoo’s hands, letting out an excited noise, which makes Kyungsoo jump.  
“Are you reading his lyrics, Kyungsoo? Did you know he writes and composes songs in his spare time? I’ve even sang on a few of them too. When he decides to get his head out of his ass and sends them to record companies, I’m going to be famous.”

Jongdae walks back in with his and Baekhyun’s drinks, and rolls his eyes at his boyfriend. “ _If_ he decides to take this further, _Chanyeol_ will be the one to be famous. Your voice will just be on the demo, Baekhyun. Chanyeol will be the one with all the credit.”

“And?” Baekhyun replies, taking his drink from Jongdae’s outstretched hand, and kisses him on the cheek as a thank you. “I’ll still be the singer. I’m sure they’ll recognise my incredible talent.” He holds out a hand as if to stop imaginary people in front of him from getting any closer. “No autographs, please. Don’t worry baby, I’ll invite you to all the red carpet events. You can be my trophy wife.”

Jongdae rolls his eyes again. “Thanks.”

The tension clouding over Chanyeol and Kyungsoo dissipates as Chanyeol chuckles at his best friends. They all make their way to sit back down in the living room, Baekhyun scrambling into Jongdae’s lap once more. Although Chanyeol doesn’t settle his legs into Kyungsoo’s lap as before, he does sit side by side with Kyungsoo, shoulder to shoulder.

The lateness of the evening, the comfort of Chanyeol’s touch and the tiredness shrouding his brain makes his eyelids heavy and before long, the low murmur of Baekhyun and Jongdae’s conversation lulls him sleep, his head lolling to one side as unconsciousness welcomes him.

He wakes up a while later, the room is still dark and he’s so absurdly comfortable that he’s half tempted to close his eyes and sleep for a little bit longer. He nestles closer into his pillow and when it emits a small grunt of discomfort, he realises that it is in fact not a pillow at all.  


Chanyeol moves from underneath him and his arm comes to lay rest over Kyungsoo’s side, squeezing him a little tighter towards him, chest to chest and Kyungsoo feels his entire body flush.

“Chanyeol,” he murmurs quietly. When Chanyeol doesn’t move he turns a little and nudges the other’s shoulder with his free hand.

Chanyeol hums in response and tries to twist, but the lack of space and Kyungsoo being half on top of him makes it incredibly difficult to move easily. Chanyeol opens his eyes comically wide to fully assess the situation around him and Kyungsoo follows suit. There’s a thick woollen blanket on top of the both of them that was previously laying over the back of Chanyeol’s sofa, something that he swears wasn’t covering them when he initially fell asleep. It falls to the floor as they both move to sit up, awkward, silent and tense. Chanyeol’s hair looks like someone has run their hands through it and pulled it in all different directions, the sweater he’s wearing is soft and warm under Kyungsoo’s touch, his voice is quiet, sleep riddled and deep as he asks Kyungsoo if he’s okay. 

Kyungsoo isn’t okay. 

Kyungsoo thinks Chanyeol is beautiful.

He spots a note on the coffee table, ripped from one of Chanyeol’s notebooks and he reaches over to read it, the untidy writing making him squint to view the words properly.

_You both fell asleep on each other so we’ve placed a blanket over you and left you to it. You guys look super cute together, by the way. I have more than enough photos on my phone to bribe you both with for the next twenty years. The only reason I’m not putting them on social media is because Jongdae said he’d withhold sex for two weeks. Hope you had fun being snuggle buddies. Love you both!!!!!  
Your best friend, Baekhyun_

Chanyeol reads it over Kyungsoo’s shoulder and clears his throat. He grabs his phone from the table and checks the time, 3:35 am. He groans as he turns to Kyungsoo, the discomfort prevalent in the wince on his face.

“I’ll walk you home,” he whispers, and reaches over to straighten the glasses on Kyungsoo’s nose, smiling cutely when Kyungsoo looks down at Chanyeol’s fingers and goes cross-eyed. Chanyeol looks so charming, so sleep soft, and Kyungsoo is so tired.

“You’re really frustrating,” Kyungsoo mutters, his brain to mouth filter clearly on pause and Chanyeol laughs quietly at Kyungsoo’s statement. He stands up and holds out his hand for Kyungsoo to take so he can pull him up gently.

“I am?”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo replies quietly, letting go of Chanyeol’s hand once he’s up. His touch is strangely frightening to him all of a sudden, too intimate. “You’re so good at all of these things. Bowling, and playing instruments, and tennis, and basketball, and being a good and honest person. It’s hard to keep up with it all.”

Chanyeol doesn’t answer, and Kyungsoo knows he doesn’t need to.

Once they’re outside of Kyungsoo’s apartment, Kyungsoo looks up to Chanyeol to thank him for the evening, reminiscent of the last time they were in this exact same spot.

Chanyeol leans against the wall and blinks slowly, tired. “Are you free later?” he asks, eyes roaming over Kyungsoo’s rather dishevelled self. Kyungsoo attempts to straighten his now incredibly creased sweater with his hands just for something to do under Chanyeol’s gaze. He nods.

“I’ll come round and cook for you as promised?”

Kyungsoo nods again.

“Great,” Chanyeol exclaims, pushing himself from the wall and smiling caringly at Kyungsoo. “It’s a date.”

  


* * *

  


A date.

_A date._

It doesn’t really sink in until he’s properly rested and has some coffee running through his veins. His thoughts are going a mile a minute: should he buy groceries? Does he need to dress up? Is the apartment clean enough?

He calls Junmyeon, who advises Kyungsoo to wear the soft blue sweater that shows off his collarbones, but other than that gives absolutely no sage advice whatsoever. There’s no point in calling Yixing, and he’s absolutely _not_ going to call Sehun, so he’s pretty much on his own with this one.

He hears the dulcet tones of Chanyeol’s guitar play through the wall mid-afternoon, a tune of some western band he recognises but can’t quite put a finger on, and Kyungsoo stops mid-clean just to listen and appreciate.

He changes his jeans three times. From black, to navy, to black again. Spends ten minutes picking out the right pair of socks. Frets about whether to style his hair. Decides not to.

Collapsing onto the sofa, Kyungsoo puts his head into his hands and takes a moment to breathe. Any other time he would have been more than happy to greet his neighbour in just his sweats, but Chanyeol had to go and call it a _date_. Now Kyungsoo is having an internal freak out.

By the time Chanyeol knocks on his door a few hours later, Kyungsoo has fully convinced himself that Chanyeol did not mean _date_ to be an _actual date_ , but rather an over dramatic way of saying casual get together.

When he opens the door, he’s greeted by Chanyeol holding a large, brown paper bag against his chest, a grimace decorating his face.  


“Can I please come in and put this down, Kyungsoo? It’s really heavy.”

Kyungsoo moves to the side to let him pass, noting as he walks into the apartment that Chanyeol isn’t wearing any shoes, just plain white socks and Kyungsoo smiles at the sight. All of this feels strangely domestic and it makes his head spin.

When Chanyeol doesn’t appear after a minute or so, Kyungsoo wanders into the kitchen to find him unpacking the ingredients from the paper bag while simultaneously searching for utensils around the room.

They don’t usually hang out at Kyungsoo’s apartment. Chanyeol is always the one to knock, or text and ask him to come over to his. This feels strangely new, Kyungsoo feels unfamiliar in his own home.

He views Chanyeol from the kitchen doorway for a second, watching him as his head moves around the kitchen like a curious puppy. He looks adorable, Kyungsoo wants to hug him from behind and bury his face into Chanyeol’s back.

He’s got it bad.

“Do you need any help?” he asks, chuckling when Chanyeol almost jumps out of his skin and turns around on the spot, nearly tripping and dropping the eggs he’s holding.

“No. I promised I’d cook for you, didn’t I?”

Chanyeol is wearing a simple, dark red hoodie that Kyungsoo has seen him in a handful of times, and a pair of ripped blue jeans. Casual, comfy and effortless.

Kyungsoo kind of loathes him for it.

He shows Chanyeol where everything is, informing him that he is _not_ to use his good knives, as only _he_ uses his good knives.  


Chanyeol pouts.

“Will I get to use your good knives one day?”

Kyungsoo relents, wants to run his thumb over Chanyeol’s bottom lip, call him cute.

“Maybe,” he answers, turning away to grab a bottle of water from the fridge for something to do. He takes one for Chanyeol also, who accepts it graciously by giving Kyungsoo a toothy grin. The crinkles by his eyes are back. Kyungsoo is in emotional turmoil. 

“Don’t you want to know what I’m making you?”

He looks almost sad that Kyungsoo hasn’t asked yet and to be honest, Kyungsoo doesn’t really care what Chanyeol is making. He’s taking time out of his day to cook something for Kyungsoo as promised, used his money to buy the groceries. Chanyeol wants to spend his evening with Kyungsoo after having spent so much time together already yesterday, so he’ll eat pretty much anything Chanyeol cooks. Even if it turns out awful. 

Although he knows it won’t be, he knows Chanyeol is a good cook as he’s mentioned it before. 

Chanyeol is good at everything.

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow and gestures for him to continue, and Chanyeol holds up a packet of spaghetti and waves it around, almost hitting himself in the face.

“I’m making you carbonara! I told you when we first met that it’s one of the best things I can cook. The recipe has been passed down through generations, it’s legendary in the family.”

He has _a lot_ of ingredients, and some of the brands aren’t exactly cheap, either. Kyungsoo shakes his head, and smiles. “You didn’t have to do all this, we could have just ordered in or something.”

Chanyeol frowns. “Are you kidding? We’ve done that countless times. I said I’d cook for you, and I’m cooking for you, Do Kyungsoo. Nothing but the best.”

Kyungsoo feels his cheeks turn warm, and Chanyeol must notice the blush on his face as he grins. “It’s fine, Kyungsoo,” he says, the familiar affection back in his eyes. “I want to do this. I want to impress you.”

 _You impress me enough already_. Kyungsoo almost bites his tongue to keep himself from sharing, fear low in his gut that he might ruin everything. The pining is getting a little tiring, but he’d rather have Chanyeol as a friend, than not at all.

He leaves his neighbour to rummage around in his kitchen for utensils to make said carbonara. The kitchen isn’t particularly large, and Chanyeol and his lanky limbs take up more than enough space. He only returns when he hears Chanyeol call his name a while later.

Assuming he needs some help, Kyungsoo walks back into the kitchen to see him holding out Mrs. Choi’s cookbook. He must have found it in the top cupboard where it had stayed since he’d placed it there, a reminder of his broken promise to her.

He almost wants to rip it out of Chanyeol’s grasp and place it back there for safekeeping.

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol asks slowly, turning over the heavy book in his hands. “Why do you have my grandma’s cookbook in your cupboard?”

The world seems to stop for a brief second as Kyungsoo registers what just tumbled out of Chanyeol’s mouth.

“Y-your grandma is Mrs. Choi?”

Suddenly, it makes so much sense. The similar laughs, the excitable personalities, the affliction for cooking. _Of course, they’re related._ Kyungsoo feels like a bit of an idiot for not realising it sooner. Mrs. Choi always used to go on about her grandchildren and how talented they were. How handsome her grandson was. Kyungsoo swore she was subtly trying to set them up. What is it with Kyungsoo and his weakness for this family?

Chanyeol nods. “She’s living with my mother across town. I moved into the apartment so it wouldn’t get rented out to people she didn’t know. She’s been here for years so it holds a lot of sentimentality for her. It’s closer to my new job, too. So it kind of worked out for everyone really.”

 _It worked out for me,_ Kyungsoo wants to say. The comment sits on the tip of his tongue, aching to be said but Kyungsoo bites back his words. _Because I met you._

He walks a few steps forward and takes the old cookbook from Chanyeol’s outstretched hands, clutching it to his chest protectively. “She gave me this when she moved away. She knew I loved to cook but understood that I didn’t really have a lot of time to do it. When she gave me this she asked me to promise to make time for myself and make a few of the recipes in it.”

Chanyeol’s eyes don’t leave Kyungsoo’s. “And did you?” he asks, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel he’d retrieved from the drawer.  


Kyungsoo shakes his head. “No, not yet. I haven’t really thought about it. It’s just been sitting in the cupboard since the day she moved, I-” He holds the book out to Chanyeol and shakes his head. “It’s your grandma’s, you should take it.”

Chanyeol laughs once, and pushes the book back to Kyungsoo. “No. No way. She doesn’t give out her recipes to just _anyone_ , Kyungsoo. Hell, even I wasn’t allowed to look through it when I was younger. I just remember it being in her kitchen. She’d always end up writing in the back pages, or the margins of recipes she’d previously created. You should look through it sometime if you haven’t already, I’m sure her ramblings are incredible to read.”

“You should read it with me,” Kyungsoo declares, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Like he doesn’t want to read it alone, or with anyone else apart from his tall, clumsy, cheerful neighbour who has entered his life and made it loud, bright and beautiful.

Chanyeol beams as vibrant as the sun, glowing and radiant in Kyungsoo’s presence.

He feels dreadfully dull in comparison.

“I’d like that,” Chanyeol responds, eyes glinting akin to stars. Kyungsoo would give him an entire galaxy, if he could.

The spaghetti is _great_ , despite Kyungsoo’s bias. He tells Chanyeol that his cooking is wonderful and Chanyeol smiles, looks down into his food and mumbles a thank you. Kyungsoo makes a mental note to praise Chanyeol more, to tell him how brilliant he is if it elicits this kind of reaction. He’s selfish that way, wants to see this more often, even if it’s just for himself.

Chanyeol tries to wash the dishes after dinner but Kyungsoo almost pushes him out of the kitchen and says it’s the least he can do after Chanyeol’s done so much. He joins Chanyeol on the sofa a few minutes later, who proceeds to move so his legs are in Kyungsoo’s lap once again. Kyungsoo begins to slowly trace random patterns with his fingers into the fabric of Chanyeol’s jeans as he listens to Chanyeol talk about week, about the kids at his school, about the other teachers, even about his phone call to his grandma. Kyungsoo hangs onto every word he says. Notes how animated Chanyeol is with his hands, how he’s loud in not only his words, but his expressions too. Kyungsoo feels like he could look at him forever.

When the conversation turns to music, Kyungsoo thinks back to the lyrics he’d seen written in the notebook at Chanyeol’s apartment, to the instruments he has lying around the living room and when Baekhyun said they’d recorded demos before. “Have you ever thought about a career in the music industry? The lyrics I saw in the notebook ...” He tapers off as Chanyeol shakes his head at the question almost immediately.

“I write lyrics but only as a side hobby. Baekhyun and I recorded a couple of demos once but I won’t be submitting them to any record companies in the near future, regardless of how much Baekhyun wants his five minutes of fame.” He laughs, and shifts his legs slightly in Kyungsoo’s lap to get comfier. “I used to be in a band in school, and there were always discussions about taking it to the next level and doing it professionally, but teaching has always been my main passion. The thing I’ve always been best at. Have you ever taught a kid something and then saw the smile on their face once they realise they’ve done it, and done it well? It’s the best feeling in the world, Kyungsoo. Some of those kids might grow up and be musicians one day, and I feel joy in the fact that I’ve been a part of that, that I’ve impacted them in some way, you know? Even if it’s just for a tiny portion of their lives.”

God, Kyungsoo wants to kiss him. Tell him how his passion is beautiful, praise him and let him know he’s brilliant. He ends up opting to squeeze Chanyeol’s calf instead. He’s a little terrified of what he’ll say if he opens his mouth.

“You know, I kind of fretted about coming here tonight,” Chanyeol admits after a few minutes of comfortable silence between them both. “You just let me talk for about twenty minutes straight and didn’t tell me to be quiet once. Sometimes I feel like I might be a bit too much for you.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head firmly, and twists so he’s looking directly at Chanyeol, ready to tell him how _wrong_ he is.

“I like being alone,” he begins, and it’s true. 

He likes the peace and quiet, but if these past few months with his new neighbour have taught him anything, it’s that he likes the noise too. He likes listening to Chanyeol’s music through the walls. He likes listening to Chanyeol’s overly exaggerated laugh, the way his voice cracks when he gets too excited, when he hums as he’s concentrating. He likes listening to Chanyeol. 

“I like being alone,” Kyungsoo reiterates, looking Chanyeol directly in the eye, determined not to look away. “But I like being around you more.”

Chanyeol looks a little awed at Kyungsoo’s confession, like he wasn’t expecting it at all, as if Kyungsoo has just revealed some major secret and Chanyeol isn’t sure how to take it. For a split second, Kyungsoo wants to push Chanyeol’s legs off his lap and run out of his own apartment, but then Chanyeol _grins_ , and reaches forward to take Kyungsoo’s hand in his own, intertwining their fingers together.

“I like being around you too,” Chanyeol responds eventually, running a thumb over the back of Kyungsoo’s hand. “I don’t just cook for anyone, you know.”

At the prompt of his own words, Chanyeol jumps up from the sofa, and almost pulls Kyungsoo with him before remembering to let go of Kyungsoo’s hand (much to Kyungsoo’s dismay) and runs into the kitchen to grab the cookbook from the countertop where it had been left.

Kyungsoo hasn’t looked through it before. Just seeing the cover makes him miss Mrs. Choi and how he’d failed her by breaking his promise, but with Chanyeol here he’s excited. Chanyeol hands him the book, gracing him with the honour of flicking through the pages as Chanyeol watches from beside him. Mrs. Choi’s handwriting is just as messy as Chanyeol’s, perhaps even messier. There’s smudges and crossed out words in the margins of the recipes, reminding him of Chanyeol’s lyrics notebook.

“If you look,” Chanyeol says, hand ghosting over Kyungsoo’s as he flips the book to the back pages. “There’s a tiny drawing of a stick man on one of the last pages. I drew that before grandma stopped me, and made me promise never to touch it again.”

True to his word there’s a tiny, faded stick man in the bottom left hand corner of the very back page. The small drawing has sticky out ears and a huge grin spanning across its face and Kyungsoo laughs. “Self portrait?” he asks, turning his head to look at Chanyeol, observing how close they are together.

Chanyeol laughs. “I feel a little rebellious for touching this book after I promised her not to. Some promises are made to be broken, I guess.”

They look through it a while longer, laughing at the added scrawls. Chanyeol gets excited when he spots the carbonara recipe, the page clean from extra scribbles. “It’s perfect as it is,” he says, and Kyungsoo agrees, wants to tell Chanyeol the same thing.

“This has been fun,” Chanyeol says after a while, closing the book and placing it carefully onto the coffee table. “You have to promise me that we’ll cook every single recipe in this book together, Kyungsoo. Promise me that.”

Kyungsoo holds out his pinky finger, much like had when he’d promised Hyerin he’d be there next time Chanyeol babysits. Chanyeol chuckles and holds his out too, hooking it around Kyungsoo’s and lingering for a little too long for it to be considered normal.

“I’ll walk you home,” Kyungsoo says, smirking. 

Chanyeol shakes his head fondly but he lets Kyungsoo hold his door open for him as they walk out into the cold hallway. Kyungsoo shivers and Chanyeol wraps his arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulder for the short walk to his apartment.

“You know,” Kyungsoo begins, looking down at the doormat he has become well acquainted with over these past couple of months. “It’s always baffled me why you have a welcome mat that says _Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated_ when you pretty much let anyone into this apartment.”

Chanyeol stops unlocking his door and turns to face Kyungsoo, quirking an eyebrow at his remark. “I don’t let just anyone into this apartment,” he replies, head tilting softly to the side in confusion.

Kyungsoo frowns. “Yes, you do, you let me into your apartment on the first day!”

“You helped me move in, Kyungsoo. Were you expecting me to tell you to just drop the boxes outside my door and go back home?”

Chanyeol smirks, and Kyungsoo scowls. “What about all those other times then? I think I spend more time here at the weekends than my own apartment.”

Chanyeol’s face falls serious for a second, before he grabs Kyungsoo’s hand in his own. “Kyungsoo, I don’t think you realise how much you transcend this stupid quote on my doormat.”

“I’m ... not people?” he asks, realising how utterly stupid that sounds, but it’s too late to take it back now. Chanyeol’s eyes are wide, focussed on nothing but him and it makes him a little bit speechless over how Chanyeol can make him fall silent with such a simple look.

Chanyeol smiles. A warm, private smile that’s just for Kyungsoo. He looks down at their interlaced fingers. “No, Kyungsoo, I _more_ than tolerate you. You aren’t just generic people. You haven’t been since we met. I thought you knew that? I can’t quite believe you’re this worked up over a welcome mat, though. It’s cute.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t really know what to say to that. Chanyeol makes him feel so _overwhelmed_ and here he is, all soft and warm and pliant, standing in front of him, so close to him yet so far away. Kyungsoo wants to touch him more. To be touched more. He wants _more_.

Kyungsoo wants to kiss him.

Kyungsoo is going to kiss him.

The silence between them is deafening. Strange for Kyungsoo. Strange for someone who used to be so needful of the quiet. Chanyeol looks at him, into his eyes, down to his lips where his gaze eventually rests, and it makes Kyungsoo feel a little hot. He waits for Chanyeol to _do_ something. To indicate he wants the same thing as he does. To put an end to this once and for all because Kyungsoo can’t take it anymore.

When Chanyeol finally, _finally_ moves, when he nods his head ever so slightly and begins to lean in, Kyungsoo brings his free hand from his side and cups Chanyeol’s jaw. He proceeds to run his thumb along the apple of Chanyeol’s cheek and he captures Chanyeol’s lips with his own. It’s a soft, short, simple kiss and the other moans gently into Kyungsoo’s mouth, the small vibration making him press a little harder. A little closer.

Seconds, minutes, hours seem to pass and Chanyeol pulls back, looking a bit lost. His mouth is open, his bottom lip slightly swollen from where Kyungsoo had caught it between his own. He looks like an idiot, but Kyungsoo wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You … so this is ...” Chanyeol stammers, trying to formulate words. Kyungsoo finds it adorable that he’s rendered Chanyeol, of all people, speechless. He resorts to just squeezing Kyungsoo’s hand tighter, and Kyungsoo nods, understanding.

“I guess,” he says, turning Chanyeol’s hand in his own so he can rub circles into his palm with his thumb. “I’ve always kind of more than tolerated you too.”

“Do Kyungsoo, that is the most affectionate thing anyone has ever said to me. Who knew you were such a romantic. Kiss me again, I’m swooning.”  


Kyungsoo does.

He reaches up with both of his hands, placing them gently on Chanyeol’s neck as he tiptoes to meet the other’s lips. Chanyeol’s hands wrap around Kyungsoo’s waist to bring him closer, and Kyungsoo emits a startled noise against Chanyeol’s mouth when his feet leave the floor.

“Park Chanyeol, put me down this instant,” he mumbles against Chanyeol’s lips, kissing him once more to show he’s not really angry, and feels Chanyeol smile in response.

Chanyeol places him back down onto the mat, but doesn’t let him go. “I’m happy, Kyungsoo. I’ve wanted to kiss you since you since you first appeared in my doorway all sleepy in your pyjamas asking me to be quiet. I’ve never seen anything more adorable and I am around tiny children five days a week.”

Kyungsoo hits Chanyeol gently on the bicep and Chanyeol, ever the dramatic, pretends to be wounded and juts out his lip while rubbing tenderly at his arm. Kyungsoo kisses the pout away, and leans his forehead against Chanyeol’s own, savouring the moment for just a little longer.

“Goodnight, Do Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol whispers, and Kyungsoo shivers from the intimacy. “Text me when you get home safe.”

Once he’s back in his lonely, quiet apartment, Kyungsoo takes out his phone from his pocket and brings up his and Chanyeol’s text conversation.

 ** _Kyungsoo_**  
I’ve made it h

He stops typing for a second, looks around his living room, at how empty and colder it feels now Chanyeol’s not here.

 _Fuck it_ , he thinks, picking up his keys from the side table and walks back next door. He knocks twice and waits for Chanyeol to open the door, who stands there, toothbrush in his hand.

“Kyungsoo?” he asks, grinning as Kyungsoo pulls the sleeves of his sweater over his hands to try and combat the chill in the air.

“Your apartment is warmer than mine,” he replies, shrugging, not looking Chanyeol directly in the eye as he knows if he does his cheeks will turn pink. The look on Chanyeol’s face confirms that he knows Kyungsoo isn’t telling him everything, but he steps aside to let Kyungsoo into the apartment.  


With the door shut, Chanyeol turns back around and leans down to kiss Kyungsoo. A slow, gentle kiss that tastes of spearmint as Kyungsoo runs his tongue along Chanyeol’s bottom lip. He brings his hands up to rest on Chanyeol’s arms as he gets closer, comforted by the heat and happiness radiating from the other.

“Would you like to stay?” Chanyeol asks once they break apart for air. Kyungsoo is a little breathless and overwhelmed from the kiss. From Chanyeol. From everything, really.

He nods. He doesn’t think he could ever deny Chanyeol.

  


* * *

  


**_Four Months Later_ **

He reunites with his old neighbour on a Saturday.

Sun streaming through the window, he wakes up in Chanyeol’s bed alone. He retrieves his phone from the bedside table and squints to look at the time, 9:30 am, and sits up properly to put his glasses on and begin his day.

He hears Chanyeol laugh, his loud, low pitched laugh that resonates throughout the entire apartment leaving Kyungsoo curious as to what he’s doing at this time.

He drags himself out of bed and grabs the closest item of clothing, one of Chanyeol’s old t-shirts, and begins to pull it over his head as he opens the bedroom door to see what Chanyeol is giggling at.

Walking into the kitchen, he stops dead in his tracks as he sees Mrs. Choi leaning against the countertop, tutting at whatever Chanyeol’s just done to the bacon he’s cooking on the stove.

“Mrs. Choi!” Kyungsoo exclaims, his voice husky from sleep. 

Chanyeol turns, spatula in hand and he gestures for Kyungsoo to come close so he can kiss his forehead and whisper a good morning into his ear. He taps Kyungsoo’s ass with the back of the spatula and turns back around to tend to the breakfast he’s cooking. Embarrassed, Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and goes to greet Mrs. Choi with a hug.

“Good morning, Kyungsoo!” she says pleasantly, returning Kyungsoo’s hug and kissing his cheek. “It’s so lovely to see you again after all this time!”

“I invited her over!” Chanyeol declares, cracking an egg with a single hand and dropping it into the frying pan. “Yoora is coming over to pick her up later but she’s staying with us for the day! I figured you missed her. Maybe we can all cook something from her recipe book together?”

Mrs. Choi claps her hands together and goes to pick up the book which now sits permanently on the clean side of Chanyeol’s dining table. Kyungsoo’s side.

“Have you baked anything from this like I asked you to?” Mrs. Choi says to Kyungsoo, an air of accusation about her voice as if she knew Kyungsoo wouldn’t have had the time. Kyungsoo opens his mouth to answer but Chanyeol appears at his side to save the day, wrapping an arm around his waist and nuzzling his nose into Kyungsoo’s hair.

“All the time, grandma,” Chanyeol says, and he runs a hand up and down Kyungsoo’s arm gently. “When he comes over at the weekend we always bake together.”

Mrs. Choi smiles at the revelation. “And are you spending less time at work?”

Kyungsoo nods. Of course, he is. Late nights at the office just aren’t the same when he has someone to miss. So, he does his work from home, instead. Or around Chanyeol’s apartment and they work together in comfortable silence. It works. They work. Kyungsoo is happier than he’s ever been.

Mrs. Choi looks at the recipe book, nostalgia evident in her expression as she places it back down onto the dining table.

“I’ve heard all about you, you know,” Mrs. Choi says to Kyungsoo, a knowing smirk on her face as she’s just exposed her grandson. Kyungsoo likes her even more.

“You talk about me?” Kyungsoo asks, smiling as he turns to a groaning Chanyeol.

“Grandma can you _not_? It took me months to woo him, don’t make him think I’m uncool now.”

Mrs. Choi laughs. “You’re very talented, sweetie,” she says, reaching up to pinch his cheek gently. “I could barely get him to come here on the weekends and you’ve got him coming home from work at a normal time.”

Chanyeol preens at the compliment. Kyungsoo thinks he’s adorable.

The smell of burning drifts in through the living room from the kitchen and Chanyeol’s eyes grow wide at the realisation that he’s left the bacon on the stove.

“I’ll get it,” Mrs. Choi says, waving her hand to dismiss Chanyeol’s panic and apologies, as she leaves them alone in the living room.

Chanyeol leans forward and gives Kyungsoo a proper good morning kiss. Slow, languid and beautiful. He smells _warm_ , of fresh laundry, the smokiness of the bacon, and something so inherently _Chanyeol_ that it leaves a still sleepy Kyungsoo feeling lightheaded.

“I like you like this,” Chanyeol murmurs in his ear, causing Kyungsoo to shudder from the breath ghosting over his cheek. “Wearing my clothes. It’s cute. They’re so big on you.”

Kyungsoo swats at Chanyeol’s shoulder playfully and Chanyeol giggles, stepping back but his hands don’t leave Kyungsoo’s waist.

“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” Kyungsoo mutters as Chanyeol leans in for another kiss, and Chanyeol scoffs at his words.

“You think that’s stopped me before? I’ve kissed you a hundred times in the mornings. You don’t have to impress my grandma, Kyungsoo. The whole family loves you just as you are.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t really know what to say to that, other than he adores them just as much. Yoora, who calls him regularly for updates on himself and Chanyeol. Hyerin, who somehow _adores_ him, who was over the moon when Chanyeol had told her Kyungsoo was now his boyfriend. Chanyeol’s mother, who tells him regularly that this is the happiest Chanyeol has ever been, and Kyungsoo tells her it’s the same for him. Mrs. Choi, who is so like Chanyeol in everything she does that it will forever be a surprise for Kyungsoo that he didn’t spot the relation sooner.

And of course, Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol will always say that his best skill was learning how to get Kyungsoo to like him and he prides himself on this, however Kyungsoo doesn’t have the heart to tell him that it wasn’t particularly a skill he needed to learn. Kyungsoo fell for the loud, dramatic, soft and loving Chanyeol that Kyungsoo gets to experience every single day. The Chanyeol that walks into his apartment at 8 pm and rests his head in Kyungsoo’s lap as he falls asleep with Kyungsoo’s hand running through his hair. The Chanyeol that refuses to let Kyungsoo leave his bed on a weekend morning, cuddling him closer and giggling into his neck so Kyungsoo surrenders and stays an hour longer. The Chanyeol that always asks him how his day was, worries about him when he’s stressed, and cooks him breakfast in the mornings. 

Chanyeol is the noise Kyungsoo needs. 

The happiness to light his life. 

Chanyeol doesn’t need to learn any skill to accomplish that. He just has to be himself.

“Earth to Kyungsoo.” He hears, and focuses on Chanyeol waving his hand across Kyungsoo’s face. “Are you okay? You just zoned out for a second. What were you thinking about?”

“You,” Kyungsoo answers honestly, and is proud of himself when Chanyeol looks a little shocked, then lets a 1000 watt grin spread across his face.

“Well, that’s good, Kyungsoo. I am your boyfriend after all, I would expect nothing less.” He takes Kyungsoo’s hand into his own when they hear Mrs. Choi call for them from the kitchen. “I think grandma is finished with breakfast. Come on, let’s see if she’s managed to salvage any of the bacon.”

Kyungsoo has many talents: editing a manuscript to Junmyeon’s liking, tolerating Sehun on a day to day basis, placing a screen protector on a phone perfectly in record breaking time. And while they may not be as universal or as useful as the skills Chanyeol possesses, whenever Chanyeol smiles or blushes because of a joke Kyungsoo’s made or a compliment he’s given, Kyungsoo thinks that perhaps making Chanyeol as happy as he makes him is his best talent of all.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to my beautiful beta bree for making this readable, and thank you also to my friends who have stuck by me and listened to me get both stressed and excited over this fic. i love you all.
> 
> twitter: [@softpcy](https://twitter.com/softpcy)


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